HTTYD Something Stupid, Something Crazy
by supersandman86
Summary: What if Astrid and Hiccup fell in love before the first movie, how would that change their fate for life. With love, hate, betrayal, of lost and found, and a bit of adventure how would this fit the prophecy fallen upon them.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ok this is a first for me but seeing as this site has a lot of good alternative universes on any sort of fiction imaginable I'd thought I'd give it a try myself. In my opinion an alternative universe can happen if evening the most smallest of detail is changed. For example as I've seen in a lot the HTTYD a/u where if Valka was never taken by cloudjumper and was there for hiccup childhood or if Astrid managed to get to the village to tell them what she saw at the cove. So here is my alternative universe to the storyline (as some already had a go): What if Astrid and hiccup were a couple before the start of the first film, how would change their fate. So here goes, this is set at the time when hiccup was 13 and Astrid is about to turn 13. So wish me luck and please be patient with me as I also work and might not get all the time in the world to do this. Thanks**

Chapter 1

Normal POV

This is Burk, Its twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. But enough about that, I bet you heard many Vikings talk about the island in same way adding how our food is like the residence, tough and tasteless, but in a harsh land like this you have to be to deal with the kind of pest we have.

You see, where most villages have to deal with pests like rat's and insects we have to deal with...

"DRAGONS!"

Dragons will come in the dead of night and steal food and livestock, and as a Viking our only intention has been the same for generations...to kill them

But turning our attention away from the Gronkle that just crash through a nearby barn, we turn our attention to the village forge where our story really begins.

Inside the forge we see a large shadow of a person looking like he's holding a mighty hammer, maybe he has a strong Viking name for you see parents believe a name will bring fear to your enemies so for a big Viking it must be a big na...

"Hiccup, what you doing with that hammer? Put it down and help me with these weapons"

...oh never mind. Turning to where the shadow came from, we see it was cast by a...boy? A boy with a small build for his age I might add. Anyway back to the plot.

"Aww come on Gobber, I'm tough, let me kill a dragon, I'm useful I can take out a draaaaa...!" Holding the hammer he was holding high in the air, being a bit too heavy for him making him lose balance and falling to the floor with a crash.

The man with a long braided mustache, one arm and one leg stood over the boy and looked down "only as a toothpick lad, now come on we need to get these weapons sharp and ready for the real Vikings"

"Ok but I warn you Gobber, you don't want to keep all this pure Viking rage locked up for too long" Hippup implied, trying to looks a hug as he could to no success.

"I'll take my chances lad" replied Gobber as he was pounding away at a sword with a hammer that was attach to where his left hand should have been.

Yep another fun dragon raid in the village of Berk.

Hiccup's POV

"I wish I was given a chance to prove to everyone I wasn't a screw up" I thought to myself. But who was I kidding myself, the only thing I seem to be able to do is screw up, well.. except blacksmithing...sort of, since i've been an apprentice for the last ten years, yeah Gobbers been teaching me since i was three winters old and i'm still a fishbone, maybe the god's hate me.

"well it seems them beasts are leaving now, and it looks like the chief isn't too happy either, must of lost more in this raid than last time" Gobber said while looking at the chief who was busy putting out the last fire of the raid. A big strong man with a red bushy beard, horned helmet and a stern look on his face, he was like the poster child of what a Viking should look like but not only is he the chief of the island he was also...

"Hiccup what you doing on the floor?" the chief asked

"Sorry dad I kind of...fell" yes the chief was also happens to be my father. A disappointed one at that the way he looked.

"A true Viking never falls! Son, remember that" he strictly says to me

"Are you sure because I saw loads fall down out there, including you..." I implied

I didn't fall I was...knocked, there's a difference!"

"Ok dad sorry for thinking it was the same" I said with my eyes rolled up.

"Watch it son, I maybe your father but I'm also your chief too. Gobber make sure he gets home tonight. I don't want him running about doing something with all this" pointing at me.

"You just gestured to all of me" I said looking slightly insulted

"Exactly, now I need to go count our stock rations before the meeting" after that he walked off towards mead hall.

I got this feeling he doesn't like me sometimes Gobber"

"Ah it's not that lad it's not you he can't stand it's just all...this" Gobber implied pointing at me.

"Again gesturing all of me" looking at Gobber with a stern (ish) look.

Normal POV

The rest of the night was uneventful really. All the broken houses were either patched back up or knocked down, not the first time that's happened, and everything returned to a normal routine. When you live in a village where dragon raids happen once a week, you have to be quick at fixing things.

As Gobber walked Hiccup home, Hiccup noticed a group of teens helping out with the repair work. There was Snotlout, a buff teen with black greasy hair underneath a horned helmet wearing a black bear furred jacket, brown leather trousers and kind of a showoff who happens to be his cousin. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut who were identical in many ways including *CLANK* hitting each other over the heads at the same time, both wearing identical four horned (and I might add dented) helmets on top of long light blond hair, Ruff wearing a light brown furred jacket while Tuff's is black furred, these two love to cause destruction (although hiccup's inventions usually out beats them hands down). There was a big lad of the group with a small helmet on named Fishlegs, again blond hair except his was shorter and covered with a tiny short horned helmet (must be a viking fashion statement with helmets) wearing a long brown furred coat, he's quite shy about confrontations but his large size made up for that, not to mention like hiccup he's a kid for knowledge. And there in the centre of the group stood Astrid, the only one that Hiccup smiled at when he saw her, she was everything any guy could ask for, except...

*WHACK* I swear snotlout if you touch my arm again, I will take your's and shove it up your..." yeah she has a bit of a temper, but she has to be in order to be a warrior, thats what she thinks of course. Unlike the other teens, she doesn't wear a helmet, instead she wears a leather headband around her forehead all the way round her long blond hair which she braids at the back of her head showing off her ocean blue eye's which her left bang covers one of them, she wears a spiked red skirt held up with a skull covered belt, blue/grey tunic topped off with iron shoulder pads (again skulls on that too, she really likes skulls), to Hiccup she looks like a valkyrie which would suit her name.

Hiccup would have wanted to do anything for her just to notice him, anything at all. But like all the other teens, she ignored him which was not as bad as the others who'd remind him why he was called 'Hiccup' by calling him weak and scrawny and causing him physical and mental abuse. Well except Fishlegs of course who didn't want to but never defended him in case the others started on him too.

But Hiccups chance to get Astrid to notice him may have come, for walking up to Him and Gobber was Astrid's father Alfsted.

"Well good evening Alfsted, what can I do for you?" Gobber said greeting the blond haired Viking.

"hello Gobber, I wonder if you do me a favor, it's Astrid thirteenth birthday next week and all she saying is she wants a new axe, I can't afford much but whatever I got, can you make one?" he says holding out six gold coins.

Gobber looked at them and gave a smile "not a lot there but seeing as you are Stoick's right-hand man, I'll give it a shot"

"Thank you Gobber, it would make her happy" Alfsted smiled handing the coins to Gobber and walking away.

Hiccup looked up at Gobber and the coins and said "did I hear right Gobber, was Astrid looking for a new axe?"

"Aye lad, won't be nothing special but it'll be something"

Hiccup had an idea, that sounded crazy in his head but thought it be a good to make Astrid have a great birthday present "err Gobber, can I make the axe for Astrid instead, please?" looking at Gobber with wide green eyes.

"hmm I'm not sure why, but as long as you don't screw it up, then yeah, but make sure you get it done on time" Gobber replied back, I might have my suspicions on why but I'll not let the boy know" he thought with a smile on his face.

"Really? Thanks Gobber, I'll started right away" but before he could run back to the forge Gobber grabs him by his shirt "whoa there laddy, your father said for you to go straight home after here. Start it tomorrow, then at least that way you can have a fresh start"

Hiccup really didn't want to but thought better of it when he started yawning "ok, ok I'll start it in the morning" with that he ran home shouting out "good night Gobber" before closing his door.

"This is it" Hiccup told himself "give Astrid something she wanted and she'll be happy" he was at his desk in his room drawing plans for Astrid's axe. Spending quite a bit of time making sure it was perfect. Satisfied with what he had drawn, he carefully laid the drawing back in his scrapbook before turning in for the night. With the thought of what he was doing the next day buzzing around his head. He gently started to fall asleep with his last words being "tomorrow, for Astrid"


	2. Chapter 2 Clang clang bang bang

**Hi there again Lads and Lasses thought I'd update update earlier before I head of for work. This chapter is might be a bore fest for some but hopefully not, like I said before I'll update these as fast as I can so hope you enjoy and happy reading.**

**Normal POV**

Hiccup awoke early the next morning, still a bit drowsy not being an early morning person, hair a complete mess (well...messier) and...on the floor, he'll never understand how he ends up there every morning, maybe his sleep-walk self hates the bed and finds the floor more comfy, it would also not be the first time he sleep-walked, he once woke up to the sound of mooing in his own bedroom, a yak, how in the nine realms did he get that upstairs, still a mystery for him today. But today of mystery solving will have to wait for another time for he just remembered what he was going to do today which put a smile on his face and felt more awake the more he thought about it. He got up, made his bed, straighten out his clothes and his hair (well get it to standard messy instead of bed head messy) and headed towards his desk, picking up the drawing he did last night of the axe he would be making, noting the amount of materials needed to make it. Looking through his draws, he finds one of the materials, a sack of gold, looking at them closely he remembered the day he got them from trader Johann explaining why they had a square hole in the middle was because he got them from a man who got it from a friend who went to somewhere called the land of the rising sun. Hiccup never understood but was so facinated by the coins that he traded a good amount of stuff for them. Putting the bag of gold coins into his pocket, he grabs the drawing and heads out of his room determined that whatever he had in store for this gold will be well worth it.

He slowly sneaks downstairs so as not to wake his dad who was asleep at the table….again. Always the same after a raid, goes round telling no, no wrong word...yelling at the others on fixing the houses before a quick drink of mead at the hall before staggering back home only to fall alseep in his chair. Lucky enough for Hiccup being so small and…..well hiccupy he was invisible to everyone around him, well almost everyone. As he slowly sneaks past the table, heading to the front door and gently opens it " and where do you think ye going at this time of the morning?" Hiccup freezes, eye's wide open 'damn, how the hell does he do that?' he thinks as he turns around to see his father sat at the table wide awake, big beefy arms folded across his barreled chest 'and he says the village needs feeding?' he thinks, Hiccup gives a toothy smile "err morning dad, how was the rebuild, not to much damage I hope, say have you lost weight?" Hiccup says nervously "alright Hiccup enough with the boot licking, answer my question, where are you going at the time of the morning?" Stoick says still holding a stern look at his son like he always does when Hiccup tries to avoid the question. Hiccup, after realising he's wasting daylight which he could use for his axe-making-so-astrid-will-look-at-me mission sighs in defeat "I'm heading to the forge early to make an axe" "oh and who is this axe for may I ask? a certain blond shield maiden perhaps?" Stoick ask with a sly smile on his face. Hiccup was taken back 'how did he know' he thinks to himself "n-no, maybe" again sighing in defeat, he's not having a winning day so far "yes, h-how did you know?" Stoick standing up walking to his son and patting him hard on the shoulders final says "well you know Gobber, a couple of pints of mead and he'll reveal anything" laughing at that thought "aye Hiccup, you better get going if you're gonna make that axe, but be warned Hiccup..." he says giving him a stern look "don't do anything stupid or hiccupy for once, deal?" 'again with the gesturing?' Hiccup thinks 'it must be a some sort of sport the invented' "well thanks for the vote of confidence dad" Hiccup sarcastically says, Stoick, was not amused "I mean it Hiccup if I have to put up with one more villager today telling me you set their sheep on fire...again, you're grounded, deal?" Hiccup looks at his dad with a confused look "how am I going to burn a sheep? I'll be in the forge all day unless someone decides they want their sheep sharpening for the next raid, I don't think that'll even happen..." "deal?!" Stoick says starting to get mad, which Hiccup senses, well not much 'sense' but once he see's his dad turn into a tomato with a beard then he knows he's getting mad, finally sighing (again) in defeat he replies "deal dad", eventually Stoicks face returns to normal and pats his hands on Hiccups shoulders again before saying "good, now off you go and remember what I said", Hiccup smiles and heads out the door quickly before his dad decides to change his mind.

**At the Forge Hiccups POV**

"What a morning, never thought my dad would let me go" I say to no one in particular, it often happens I end up talking to myself, but sometime it gets me into trouble, like once when Snotlout and his crew, namely the twins Fishlegs and Astrid caught me talking to myself "hey usless, why you talking to yourself? is it because no one wants to talk to a fishbone like you?" Snotlout says while the twins sniggered behind him at what he said "no, it's just sometimes it's nice to have an intelligent conversation once in a while" I reply back while looking at Snotlout, which for some reason was the first time I heard Astrid laugh, wow even when she laughs, it's beautiful. This earned me a severe beating from Snotlout for saying that, god's I couldn't walk straight after he kicked my arse, I think he might of left his boot up there. As I enter the forge It's quiet, guessing dad was right about Gobber being really drunk, ah well not the first time i've set up the forge by myself, it's good practise. After getting the logs for the fire and setting it alight I unfold the designs from their different stages, from the wood of the handle to the final details of the axe when finished, it'll take some time to make, but the one thing I favor the most is patience, right first things first the metal for the head, now I even though i'm using gold for part of the axe, it won't be the main metal, too soft a metal for battling with, so the traditional method would be iron. I search around the shop for some iron ingots I'm sure Gobber keeps for blacksmithing, hmm lets see...

Hammer hand?...no

Bent sword?...no but you're going back on the pile

Empty mug?...no

Gobbers...what!...eww his spare underpants, i'd rather burn them

I really need to talk to Gobber about keeping the shop clean.

Eventually after so long looking around (and nearly having nightmares in the process) I finally find the ingots i'm looking for, I pick up a handful, ok ok two ingots at a time, what? I'm a fishbone. Anyway after loading up the forge with the ingots to melt in one of the basins, I put the gold coins I brought from home on the side of the table till I'm ready to smelt them too. Looking round for the right cast won't be too difficult as its too big to be scattered about, I find the one I'm looking for, a double headed axe head, the type I know Astrid trained with and favors the most, I drag the stone cast to where the iron is smelting nicely, turning into a molten orange pool, still need to give it a bit of time for it to be fully molten before it's ready, which means more heat, so at i walk to the pump I pull as hard as i can until the fire in the forge roars with a fierce glow, the sweat pouring of from just doing that, just remembering to put my leather apron on, don't want to set myself on fire. Eventually after so much heat has hit the stone basin of iron ingots, they have perfectly melted into the right amount of molten metal I need for the cast, slowly and gently I pour the molten liquid into the mould allowing it to fully take all the available space forming the axe head, carefully making sure its has evened out perfectly I then set to work on the gold coins, sticking them into a fresh basin and setting them near the forge too, allowing them to melt as wait for the axe head to cool off, making sure I follow the plans to the letter (sort of speak). After the head cools off to pick up with tongs but sill hot enough to still be worked, I place it on top of the nearby anvil, reaches out for a hammer with my left hand, a little stunned that it feels easier picking the heavy hammer up with my left hand than with my right "hmm, I wonder that's why I fell arse over head last night, the hammer was in my right hand at the time" I say to myself, I really got to get someone to talk to otherwise people will think I've gone nuts 'too late' the little voice inside the back of my head said. "ok focus Hiccup, lets get this right for once" I lift the hammer up for the first strike and down onto the metal axe head.

Time goes by and after so much hammering and realigning of the head, making sure both ends are of equal weight and size, I get out my little hammer and chisels and start tapping into the metal of the head causing small gaps and dents into it making patterns, a small line going vertically down each end of the blade on each side, not too far out where it could cause problems chopping but enough so it'll leave a nice detail when its down (well I may not know art but I know what I like), carefully examining the the axe head from all sides using the tongs to make sure the detailing is all even, I smile in approval and place the head back down, now for the next stage, the runes, I best hurry before it cools down too much. I picked my words carefully for this:

_Hildr's BattleSister: May You Loved One's Find Protection While Your Enemies Find Peace Upon The Blade Of Your Blade_.

Happy with that I turn the blade over and etch the next lot of words into the head:

_To The Mighty Gods Odin, Thor, Freyja, Vör & Magni Please Bless This Axe With Your Divine Powers To Protect The Maiden Who Shouts Your Name In Battle Until The Day She Joins The Ranks Of Valhalla_.

Phew that took a lot to do, good thing I can chisel small writing or I'd need a lot more gold for it. speaking of gold, I'd best go check on it. Walking over to the basin where i left the gold coins to smelt down I notice that to my joy they have fully melted into a yellow molten liquid, perfect. Now for the hardest part of the whole operation, adding the gold liquid into the detailing I just did.

**Several Long Minutes Later**

There the last one's done and a good thing too, it's starting to get dark, wow I've been in here all day, and yet no Gobber, usually he would be in to give me pointers on how not to use a short sword as a butter knife (I'm not going to ask how he found that one out). I cool the axe head in a bucket of water, remove it and look at the axe head at all sides again, I gotta say even for me I'm quite impressed with my handy work on this, but it's not over yet, still the handle to make for this, now thanks to my Hiccup flair I've designed the axe head with a two small holes on each side near the bottom of the head which pins can go through it so the handle can be replaced as the wielder gets older and needs extra length, as for the handle, there was one more thing I also got from Johann, some reddish wood from one of other exotic places he travels too (he does travel a lot) I think he called it ma-hog-aninny? or something like that, anyway I want this axe to be special and so I get to the back of my work room where I left it, (yeah I'm really going to explain to my dad why i got a log in my hands and bringing home like it was a pet) and since I'm here anyway I might as well carry on finishing off the axe before falling asleep.

**Several Splintered Fingers Later**

Well that was painful, looking at the bandaged fingers of mine, but I turn away when I look at the reshaped log, I smile at the long axe handle I created, some oils treatment , and some leather grips for this and it'll be perfect. "yawn...wow I'd best take a bit of a rest before finishing off, good thing there's a bed he...zzzzzzzz"

**Normal POV **

Before Hiccup could finish his sentence, he fell asleep where he sat, not knowing there was a certain blacksmith who had been watching the whole thing, Hiccup must of been too busy to notice him as he hobbled into the shop, looked at the new axe head Hiccup made with a shock "how in all the nine realms did he make that?" Gobber said silently to himself, he's made some good weapons in his time, but not like this, and in one day at that. "tha boy's got skill an tha Astrid betta kno how lucky she is". He walks over to Hiccups sleeping form picks him up 'good thing he's light as a feather' Gobber thinks to himself as he places Hiccup in the bed.


	3. Chapter 3 Useless weapon

**Took a while to sort out but got there in the end, hope you enjoy. But spoiler, I'm gonna be evil and leave it on a cliffhanger but hopefully the next one will be good. anyway enjoy and review if you want.**

**Chapter 3 Useless weapon**

**Hiccup POV**

I open my left eye see the sun already out and start to groan "five more minutes, you're up too early Mr Sun" I moan just about to close my eye again until I hear a familiar voice and a clanging of a hammer on iron "nah lad the sun's not up early, jus ye over slept" I open both my eyes and look where the voice came from to see the back of a familiar blacksmith working on repairs to a sword, most likely the one I found yesterday. Suddenly I realise what he said "wait over slept?!" I jump out of...bed? I could of sworn I fell alseep at the desk last night, pondering for a moment but deciding to put it at the back of my mind, today will be touching up Astrids axe, adding a few more details to both the head and the handle, now I got the main part out of the way. I look around to my desk to find the handle missing 'what! where's the handle gone?!' I think to myself searching high and low for it "you've don a fine job with making tha axe lad, I'm very impressed" Gobber says as he walks in with both the axe head and handle in his right hand, I never knew how big his hand was till I saw him holding the axe parts in it, but then it struck me 'wait, did gobber just compliment me on the axe i made?' "t-thanks gobber, but it's nothing really, just wanted it to be less useless than me" I reply taking both handle and head out of gobbers hand and checking all the gold detailing over again, okay I'll admit It was pretty impressive, but if its going to be a certain, shield maiden's axe, it needed to be. "best carry on with this axe, thanks for letting me do this Gobber" I said smiling at the half limbed viking who returned the smile back "'s nothing ye need ta thank me for lad, I knew how much ye like that wee lassie for a while now" he says as he walks off back to the anvil with the broken sword on, resuming his work. Looking at the plans and the axe parts in my hands I set to work on the final stages.

**Four Days Later **

"Finally! I've done it and not a moment too soon" I say to no one in particular, (I really got to get a friend to talk to) as I look at the shining new double-headed battle axe, adding those last few detail to both the head and the handle really was a very nice touch, strips of thick leather wrapped around the bottom, centre and top of the handle so it can be gripped at different heights while the bare parts of the handle had carved detailings all the way around it, this took a couple of days to do as I wanted to get the detailing just perfect, plus I had no more of that wood to use, the whole handle had been treated with oil to keep it from rotting too quick. Looking from the handle to the axe head I examine both sides check that both sides of the blades were equally sharp and well balance, also to make sure that both sides are polished to the point I can see my face in it, which i realised my hair was sticking, up, by the gods why was I born with this hair, no matter how much I comb it down it jumps back into a mess. No matter it'll not ruin my mood, for if this gift was great, it'll make Astrid smile, and maybe even notice me, now that'll be something. Holding the axe in both hands, I turn around to where Gobber was banging his hammer down and singing? "I've got my axe and I've my mace and I love my wife with the ugly face, I'm a viking through and through..." Gobber singing away happily if not a bit out of tune. Strange, he only sings that unless he's in a happy mood, shaking that thought out of my head I purposely cough to get his attention "err Gobber, I've finished it now, what do you think?" I say as Gobber turns around and looks at me with a wide smile before looking at the axe, he carefully takes the axe out of my hands and starts to examine it "aye lad ye don a goo' job o it, one day you'll be a goo' as ol Gobber here" he says with a sly smile "an jus in time too, Alfsted will be expectin it soon, bu I got to ge these supplies sorted fore the owners come for them, you'll ave to deliver it lad" handing me back the axe with a good amount of force, "oof! I'll feel that in the morning" straightening back up and looking at Gobber "a-are y-you s-s-sure a-about t-t-that G-Gobber?" great I'm stuttering like mad, gods why do you hate me? "aye lad ye'll do fine" Gobber insistently said pushing me out of the forge into the open air. "oh well" I sigh "hope the gods are on my side...for once" 'yeah the confidence is washing all over me' I think to myself as I start to walk on towards the Hofferson's house on the other side of the village. As I walk wit the heavy axe in my arms I start to think of what might happen, will she accept it, would she notice me, will she kill me with the very weapon I made, oh the irony by hey you never she might consider me a friend, my very first friend, I smile at that last one...

*WHACK!"

**Normal POV**

As Hiccup is lost in thought and smiling what the positive outcome might be for doing this, he doesn't know that Snotlout's around the corner waiting for him. As Hiccup walks by, Snotlout sudden jumps out from his hiding place and *WHACK!* bashes Hiccup in the back of his head making him fall to the ground in a heap, still holding the axe like it was a babe in his arms "hey useless, what's the matter? fallen down again? man your're such a clutz useless, of course you are a hiccup" Snotlout said to his cousin with a smirk on his face "oh yeah Snotlout how clumsy of me that my body is a magnet to your fists, how do you even put up with it" Hiccup sarcastically says back, but Snotlout, never the brightest when it comes to understanding anything Hiccup says, but what intrigues him is the axe in his cousins arm "what you got there useless?" he says trying to pry the axe out of Hiccups arm only succeeding when he kicks him in the stomach "nice axe, too nice to be with a runt like you, who's it for useless?" he ask again examining the axe over and over again "It was a request to make by Mr Hofferson for Astrid's birthday" Hiccup groaned he doesn't understand why his own cousin hates him so. "I didn't know it was Astrids birthday today? well in that case I'll take this to her and say I made it for her, she'll want to totally fall for me then, I mean what would happen if she found out you made it useless? she won't like it knowing it was made by an embarrassment like you, she'd destroy this axe within seconds or go after you for trying to curse her with runtness" Snotlout said with a sly smile still on his face '"runtness" are you bloody kidding me?' Hiccup thought to himself but thinking more...maybe Snotlout was right, what if she did reject it because it was made by him, it would kill more than someone else taking credit for his work then Astrid reject something he put his heart and soul into, but before he could think otherwise, Snotlout (and the axe) was already at the Hofferson household where Alfsted answered the door only to she the most beautiful axe he has ever seen, sticking his head back through the door he shouts for Astrid who walks out to see what her dad shouted her for, her blue eye's widened, mouth hanging open and jumping for joy at the sight of the axe she grabs hold of out of Snotlouts hand to examine the shear beauty and craftsmanship, Hiccup got up and weakly smile knowing his gift made the girl of his dreams smile, he couldn't hear what Snotlout said but what happen next (and to Hiccups heartbreaking sadness) Astrid flings her arms around his cousin and embraces him and kisses him on the cheeks.

**Hiccups POV**

"No..." I watch in horror that the girl of my dreams hugged and kissed Snotlout for something I made, placing both my hands on the top of my head I start pulling at my hair in frustraision "you stupid, stupid, stupid idiot Hiccup! why didn't you stop him you fool? why did you ever ask Gobber if you could make that cursed weapon? why did you have to love her?..." I shout to myself, I don't care if I look crazy in front of the village, I don't care any more. Tears running down my face onto my fur vest I then I come to my final question "why was I ever born?" with that assumption I start running out of the village towards the forest, not like anyone will miss me, hell even when they realise I'm missing they'll throw a party to celebrate. Little did I know that someone did see me run away...

**Gobber POV**

I was happy for the lad, he's been pining over that lass Astrid since he was five and they were friends that time, I don't know what made her stop being his friend, she seemed so cheerful when she was near him, then all of a sudden her attitude change and she was more shut up about it. I don't know, youth today so complicated, it's why I never married, well sort of speak. I might as well sneak a peak at the two love birds, that way I can tease the lad about it later, as i start to hobble quietly as I can I suddenly stop and see a sight that shocked me and saddened me, Hiccup on the floor looking over at, I turn my head to what he's looking at only to see Astrid? kissing and hugging Snotlout? wait was that the axe in his hand? putting two and two together I come to realise what happened "why tha snot-face yak farting son of a half-troll" I say quietly to myself but before I could say any more I see Hiccup getting up and shouting to himself "No...you stupid, stupid, stupid idiot Hiccup!" why does he have to put himself down like that? "why didn't you stop him you fool? why did yu ever ask Gobber if you could make that cursed weapon? why did you have to love her?" all these questions and yet what nearly killed me was what he said next "why was I ever born?" wht that he runs out of the village into the forest, looking sad I hobble back to the forge thinking about that poor lad "ah Hiccup, I feel for ye, I hope ye come te realise tha there's nothin wrong wit ye".

**2 Days Later At The Forge**

Hiccup still hadn't returned home, I was worried as hel about him, sure he has gone out longer than this into the forest but still the way he was feeling I hope he didn't do anything drastic, I don't think I could live with myself. Suddenly my thoughts were dragged back to reality when a certain blond lass comes walking in carrying what looks like a blunt sword "hey, Gobber" she says to me, putting on a fake smile I turn to look at the girl who broke Hiccups heart "hello Astrid, wha brings ye around here?" I say in an upbeat sort of way. "I was just delivering my dads sword that need sharpening" she say's as she hand's me over the sword and take the axe off her back examining it and smiling. I see her as I start sharpening Alfsted's sword, here's my chance to give her the truth, old Gobber style. "say tha's a mighty fine axe ye got there Astrid, fer ye birthday?" I say still having my back to her " yeah Gobber, it's a beautiful axe, one of the best I've ever seen or even heard of, like it was made by the gods" she says cheerfully. "aye lass, that Hiccup can make a fine weapon when he put's his mind te it...opps" I say cheekly, like I said, Gobber style "what? you must be wrong Gobber, Snotlout said he made this" she said as I turn around I see her with an confused look on her face "nej lass Hiccup made tha, took him all week te make, nearly took his arm off twice and los a lot o sleep just so he could make it on time" I say with a genuine straight face, she still look confuse, what can I do to convince her that he made it? oh I know "may I examine ye axe a second lass?" she nods and hands it over, i carefully examine the fine god-like weapon, searching for that one thing that stands out, finally I see it and smile "ah ha, found it, come ere Astrid and look here on the bottom o the axe head and look closely" she looks then all of a sudden, her mouth is hanging wide open as she see's what I see "HHH III" she say's in shock "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock The Third, I know the lads handy work from a mile away, all the weapons he makes, he puts that same thing on every one of them". Now I got her.

**Astrid's POV**

I can't believe it, I can't believe Hiccup made this beautiful weapon, this weapon that look's like it was forged by the god's themselves and Hiccup up made it...for me, I mean I know he liked me, but not this much. Wait didn't Gobber say that Hiccup left that same mark on all the weapons he made, I wonder what other weapon has this mark on "err Gobber, may I see my dads sword a second please" he nods and hands it to me, I look around for any sign of the mark, sudden I find it, under the hilt of the blade, the mark, his mark, handing the sword back I start to think a few things, why did everyone call him useless for when he could craft so well, all those inventions that he made, sure they didn't work all the time but still to think of things like that, that's not the work of a useless, wait why am I thinking like that? He's a runt but I don't know why but I come to realise that, it's not his fault he's different, in fact he keeps trying to fit in even when others shun him out, he still keeps trying, what have we done to him? what have I done to him?. All of a sudden tears start falling down, what? tears? no it can't be, a warrior never cries, so...why was I? maybe, just maybe there's something more to it, but I need to find out, I need to find the one to make me feel like this, I need to find Hiccup. "Gobber, where's Hiccup? I need to find him, I need to tell him something" I say to him, but what I see next was a change of feature from his wide satisfied smile to a sad frown "I don' kno lass, he's not been home fer two days now, he ran off inte the forest after he saw you wi the Jorgenson lad" he said with a sadness in his voice. Wait he saw me, he ran off because of me. Ouch what's this pain in my chest? Is that my heart? Is it hurting, for him? I need to find him now "I'll go find him Gobber, I need to apologise to him" I say as I start to run out of the forge and through the town, wait did I just say that? my thoughts aside as I start to enter the main square of the village I see the one person I never, ever wanted to see at that moment...or maybe I do "hey babe, how's that axe I made for you" Snotlout say in all his disgusting smug voice. Before I knew it, I got my axe out, rushing towards Snotface with fire in my eye's as I whack him hard around the face with the blunt end of the axe, knocking him flying everal feet "OUCH! WHAT THE F..." he says but before he could finish he sentence I kick him In the jaw just so I didn't have to Listen to his stupid voice "HOW DARE YOU, YOU STUPID TWO-FACE UGLY YAK BUTTED NASTY SON OF A HALF TROLL'S LYING ASSHOLED DRAGON DUNG TWAT! I SHOULD KILL YOU WITH THIS AXE HICCUP MADE..." wow that felt good "but instead i'll make your life a living hell, if you ever, ever come near me again and just for a taster of what I will do to you..." I run up to him and give him a swift in the family jewels "..now imagine that! only with this axe" with that I carry on running towards the forest not looking back as Snotlout still in a fetal position, one hand on his bloody nose, the other cupping what's left of his manhood.

**Later On In The Woods**

It feels like I've been wondering ages around this forest, but I wasn't worried for myself, I was worried for Hiccup, I hope he didn't do something bad to himself. 'But where could he be' I think to myself, suddenly I stop and think for a few seconds, "let me think, we used to play in here as kids, but what where was it at that used to be our little hiding spot where no one knew about, think Astrid, think..."

**The Forest 8 Years Ago Flashback**

I was running along with a small boy with messy auburn hair and clothes way too big for him, but he looked so happy, he's even laughing, wait that's Hiccup, little five year old Hiccup, he's running from me with his arm stretched out like he was pretending to fly, oh I remember this, chase the dragon, we played this a lot together. "come on astwid you can catch me" Hiccup saying giggling away "I'll get you dwagon boy" I reply giggling too, I seemed so happy back then, when did that change I wonder? suddenly Hiccup stop and I crash into him, we both fall on the ground our eye's meet for a second before we both turn away in embarrassment, "you okay astwid?" Hiccup asks "yeah I'm okay, but why did you stop?" I ask him, he turns and point into the direction of an opening between some mossy rocks. Curiosity gets the better of us as we get up off the ground and slowly walk towards the opening, both feeling a bit scared we hold each others hand as we pass through the opening to an amazing view, green untouched grass covering the ground, next to a crystal clear lake topped off with a waterfall "wow" we both say at the same time "this is amazing" I hear Hiccup say "yeah looks so beautiful" I reply back as we start running around to explore. After a while of nothing but running about we end up laying down next to the lake, catching our breaths, after a while Hiccup breaks the silence "listen Astwid lets pwomise each othew not to tell anyone about this place, deal?" he says holding out his left fist with his pinky finger sticking out, I smile and do the same with my right "deal"...

**End Of Flashback**

"...the cove! of course, he's got to be there, that was the only place no one would find us or this case, find him" know where I need to go I rush round the many familiar tree's I remembered as a kid looking round for that opening in the rocks till eventually, there it is, smiling and hoping hiccup is in there I slowly walk through the opening, entering the cove, still as beautiful as ever but the sights will have to wait now, looking around for that certain view I wanted to see suddenly something caught my eye, next to the waterfall. "Hiccup!..."


	4. Chapter 4 What you say right now

**Well here's chapter 4 up, kind of an odd idea in this one, but hopefully makes sense. enjoy**

**Chapter 4 Because I want to remember what you say right now**

**Normal POV**

Feeling a mixed sense of relief, joy, sadness, anger and guilt at spotting the thin auburn haired teen she realises that in all that time she stood there watching him, he never looked her way, he didn't leave his eye's from the small leather book in his hands while adding something to it with his charcoaled pencil "what is he doing in that book I wonder?" Astrid said quietly to herself, she had to find out, even if it meant sneaking up on Hiccup to find out. Slowly she crept round to the rocks she saw him near, she looks at him, making sure he hasn't spotted her, thinking that he hasn't, she presses on until she's right behind him, she slowly tiptoes over to him, getting closer to what he was putting into that book of his, closer she's getting, can feel the curiosity building up inside of her 'nearly there' she thought to herself 'just . ...' "you know it's rude to sneak up on people, even a shield maiden should know that one" Hiccup said to her. Frozen at being caught she thinks to herself 'damn, how in the nine realms did he know?'

**Hiccup POV**

Does she think I'm stupid? wait scratch that yes I am and the reasons why, I knew she was here the second she entered the cove, all this time I've come here hoping some glimmer of hope that Astrid would remember that this is where our special place was and hoping she would remember me, not as a screwup like everyone thought I was, but as a friend, I waited seven years, seven gods damned years waiting all this time, and nothing, and the one time I didn't want her to be here and surprise surprise, she turns up, like Gobber told me once _'It's sods law that one is, the thing you want never happens until the day you don't want it and it happens'_ how bloody true that was too. *sigh* well better get this over with. with a bit of luck she might beat me up so hard it'll numb the pain in my heart.

I close my book shut and lay it on the rock next to me but I don't turn around to her, if I see her it'll only hurt more. Instead I look towards the water of the lake noticing how calm it feels to be around "what do you want Astrid?" I say to her in a harsh tone, what? I don't feel in a up-beat cheery mood today. I wait for her to reply back to my question, nothing, not a sound so I decide to press on "look I know you're going say that was 'unviking' of me to just run away like a coward, not tell anyone where I went, but the truth being even if I told anyone and I mean anyone, well apart from Gobber of course, they wouldn't of bothered to come find me anyway, hell they'd throw a party to celebrate I was out of the village, Odin knows what would happen if really did never come back, probably declare this national Hiccup's-Gone-For-Good day and even sacrifice something to the god's to make sure I never come back" wow, Gobber was right, I do have low self confidence, but who cares, only him that's for sure. Still silence, did she leave? I slightly turn my head around to see her boots but not her face, yep still there. "so if you want, you can beat me to a pulp, I'll not say a word" I snort "like anyone would care if I did anyway". Still nothing, what does this girl want? A big sign on my back saying 'hit here and win a prize'? I decide to give her an easier target and stand up, still with my back to her "okay, make it quick" I close my eye's waiting for the first contact of pain, but again still nothing, this girl is getting on my nerves, and this damn heart of mine won't stop hurting, finally I lose patience "ARE YOU DEAF?! JUST DO SOMET..." suddenly she does make contact, but it wasn't pain I was feeling more of a, comfort feeling, I look down to see two arms, her arms, Astrid's arms around my body, wait what else was there?, my back feels wet, but what could be?...suddenly I hear sobbing behind me, that can't be right, no Viking ever cries. So why was she?

**Astrid POV**

I can't believe what I just heard, did we really make him feel like that? Did we hurt him to an extent that he would rather accept be beaten to a pulp then defend himself? These thing never happened to me, but why do I feel hurt too? and Crying? why am I crying viking don't cry! do they? but hearing those words come from him, each one like a dagger going through my heart,I don't want to feel hurt, I don't want him to feel hurt, the next thing I knew my arms are around Hiccup, my Hiccup, wait what? Did I really say that? And then it hit me like a Gronkle, we were friends years ago, we promised this place would be our special place, a place where we can enjoy each others company...and I betrayed him, I never came back, how many time has he been here, by himself? I know I saw him a couple of times heading into the forest but thought nothing of it, but he went to the forest everyday, oh gods what have we done, what have I done, I lean my head onto his back and start to cry again.

"I'm s-sorry" I say to Hiccup, still crying into his vest "I'm so so sorry Hiccup, I know we can't ask for you to forgive us or even forgive me, I never wanted you make you feel worthless, I never wanted to stop being your friend" that last part stung me, how could I be so stupid as to lose my friend like that.

Suddenly I feel him turn around and my head isn't on his back anymore, but his chest, I decide to look up to him and the first thing I see is his eye's, his forest green eye's looking at my blue one's, his eye's are glossy too just like mine are, he's been crying too, I can see the beauty behind them, I hear him sigh as he starts to speak "then why did you stop?" he said to me in a soft but strict tone of voice. I down at his chest again and pondered on that question to figure it out for myself, why did I stop being his friend? I start recounting when, I was six I just came back from the forest and it was, oh "Arvin Dale's Fire" I whisper to myself, but Hiccup heard it "what?" I hear him ask, I look up to him, and his beautiful forest green eye's again, no focus Astrid focus. "d-do you remember the night of Arvin Dale's Fire seven years ago?" I ask him, thinking to himself he then replies with a nod "and my uncle Finn fighting the FlightMare?" again he nods "after he...err...well after he..." gods I really don't want to say it "you don't need to say it Astrid" he say's in a soothing voice, god's how can he be angry one minute then calm the next, it take me hours to calm down, anyway to carry on "well after that and he left the Island, I made a vow Hiccup, that I'll train as hard as my uncle Finn did so that when it came to my turn I would take on the Flightmare myself and restore the Hofferson name" I said said with a determined voice, but then guilt hit me again "but it meant I needed people to see me as a mighty warrior and not a weakling, unfortunately that meant I couldn't hang around with you out of *gulp* fear" that last word really hurt, I didn't want to be scared of anything but I was scared of saying that, "fear? fear of what Astrid?" I hear Hiccup say, oh gods please don't let him hate after this, sighing hard I finally answer him "fear of being called a weakling like you" I said it but I'm not proud of it, I knew at the time it was wrong but pride got in my head and because of that I lost a very close friend "but I was wrong Hiccup, dead wrong I just never realised till now how bad a consequence it was" I realise that maybe the damage was already done and it didn't matter how sweet he was everyone has a limit of forgiveness, hell with even half of that, any Viking would of chopped my head off by now.

Thinking that he needed to be alone, I slowly remove my arms from around his back, lifting my head off his chest I start to turn around and walk away, this isn't going as I planned.

Then I feel something grab hold of my left arm, stopping me in my tracks all of a sudden I'm pulled back covered in a pair of arms in a sort of, hug? wait was someone hugging me? looking down and what I see is a vest, a green vest, Hiccup's vest, so Hiccup's hugging me? I look up to see his face, freckles on each cheek, his messy auburn hair and those eye's, I never knew how cute he really looked till now, but I knew from the genuine smile that he gave me meant one thing...Hiccup forgave me... I start to cry again.

"t-thank you, thank y-you" was all the words I could say, I was emotionally and mentally drained, I just wanted to lie down and as if he knew how I was feeling, Hiccup started laying us down onto the soft grass, still holding on to me, he starts gently cradling me back and forth until I can't keep my eye's open, how does he do that? no one has ever soothed me like this no matter how much they tried, and all of a sudden he does it once in so many years and I feel relaxed, I feel calm, I feel...safe...

**One Hour Later Normal POV**

Both Hiccup and Astrid stayed in each others arms all the time they were asleep, no one else around, just them in their special place, the way it used to be. Hiccup was the first to wake up, smiling at his crush in his arms, then started to frown remembering her words he told her an hour ago _"being called a weakling like you"_ he realised she had her life ahead of her, he couldn't take that away from her, what she wants to do with her life should be her choice and no one else, no matter how much he loved her he wanted her to be happy, and if being happy meant he'd live with a broken heart for the rest of his life, then so be it.

Little does he know that Astrid was thinking the exact same thing as she woke up, but what plagued her the most was the axe Hiccup made, it was magnificent, only someone who truly put their heart into it had a lot to say about it, but why did Snotface have it? surely if Hiccup made it why didn't he give it to her? she had to ask.

"um, Hiccup.." she said to him as turned to face her "I-I was wondering, about that axe you made me" she continued 'wait how did she kn...Gobber!' Hiccup thought to himself, shaking his thoughts he continues to listen to Astrid as she carries on "w-what I wanted to ask was, gods how to put this, why did Snotlout hand the it to me instead of you?" she finished waiting for a reply.

Now you must know that Hiccup is a bad liar and lying to someone as tough as Astrid, well since he's already said quite a lot today about his pain, one more won't hurt him, right? "*sigh* if you want to know the truth Astrid, I was going to give it to you myself, but Snotlout beat me and took to the axe from me" he replies back to her question, she looked a little surprised 'so he was going to give it to me' she thought to herself but pressed on with the questions "then why didn't you stop him? most of use would have". He looks away from her and looks down to his shoes "because I couldn't fight back" he replied in a low tone of voice to her, she wasn't convinced "that's not an answer" he looks up at her at what she just said "why is it so important to you all or a sudden?" he ask her questionably, she smiles as she replies back "because I want to remember what you say right now", he starts feeling frustrated all of a sudden "oh for the love of... okay I was coward! I wouldn't fight back!" now she got him "you said wouldn't that time" she says back to him, he sighs in defeat "whatever...I wouldn't fight back because...because..." she looks puzzled at what he was trying to say "because of what Hiccup" she ask him, racking his brain to get the words out "becauseIdidntwanttofindout youdidntlovemelikeIloveyou" she heard the last part but wanted to be sure "what?" she asks him again, sighing he repeats himself at a normal pace "because I didn't want to find you didn't love me like I love you" 'oh great' he thought 'I'm going to die right here, the gods must hate me'. Closing his eye's he wait's for the moment when the gods can tell him in his face they hate him, but what comes is sort of close, a punch to his right shoulder "ow! what the h..." he shouts rubbing it with his good arm "that was for thinking I hate you!" Astrid sternly tells him followed by another punch to his left shoulder "ow! really? another one!?" he asks her again "that was for scaring me thinking you ran off for good!" again Astrid remarks this girl loves violence "and this..." she follows with, Hiccup thinking he's going to get another punch closes his eye's and waits for the pain but what he didn't expect was warm lips, her lips, oh his lips!? 'she's kissing me!' he thinks to himself.

It could of been only for a few seconds, but who's counting? oh yeah Hiccup.

After those few seconds of lip to lip combat the two owner split them apart, both smiling...well one was smile, the other was giving a dumbstruck goofy grin, want to guess which one? Astrid finally broke the silence and finished of the sentence that started that kiss "...is because I love you too you big dork" she says in a soft tone of voice.

Hiccup POV

I can't believe what just happened Astrid not only kissed me but said she loves me too, ok this has to be the most weirdest day of my life but wow what an ending to it. But what does this mean for us, I have to ask, I don't want to get the wrong idea again "er A-Astrid, can I ask what this means for us? A-are was i-in a r-r-relation*gulp*ship or not" wow way to be confident Mr Haddock, that'll really impress her, but she starts to laugh, no wait, giggle was it that funny? but she does have a cute laugh and...what!? she's picking up her axe!...well that's it, goodbye manhood, closing my eye's again waiting for the impact "hold out your arms" she says to me, hesitating I hold them out, I don't know which is worse? losing my arms or my manhood? but what I didn't expect was the weight of the axe handle in my hands, being brave I open my eye's and look up to see Astrid standing there, hand on one hip and smiling "now it all depend's on whether I receive this gift from Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third like it was suppose to or not" she says to me, this girl is wierd...but I like it, no, love it.

Smiling back I stand up straight, holding my arms out with the axe in my hands and I kneel down I put on my most non-viking voice I know of, in other words, gentleman "for this I present to you milady for such a beautiful and powerful woman deserves an equal and powerful weapon" I say to her, blushing like mad, but funny enough so is she as she takes the axe from my hands and pretends to examine the axe and smiles at me "this is a mighty fine weapon you have given me good sir, but I have no gold to exchange for it but I can give you one thing if you'd accept it..." she says to me as she looks up to my eye, blue on green, ocean meets forest, she then softly finishes of her sentence "..my heart". I look up at her, surprised and happy at the same time, I don't realise my head is moving by itself as it nod, next thing I know, astrid gently lays the axe on the floor, runs up to me and crashes into my lips again, wow twice in one day, I am a lucky guy, this kiss feels longer though, not I'm complaining or anything just that it feel's...amazing! truly amazing.

Finally after minutes of that lovely kiss, our lips depart, more of to catch our breaths, we both look exhausted, well it has been a trying day today, can't really blame.

"does that answer your question babe?" she ask me as I start to wrap my arms around her just to feel her close to me, I finally decide to answer her "it sure does milady, but there's one thing we need to do" I look into her eye's as I say with a straight face "we need to keep this a secret from the rest of the village, for now anyway until I can prove to them I'm worthy of you, in their eye's of course" she seemed at first surprised but she stopped to think what I just said until she realised what I meant and smiled back at me "okay babe, but on one condition" she says to me, I wonder what the condition is? "that I help you make people think you're worthy of me" she finishes off with as she turns around to pick up her axe, I look a little puzzled "how?" I ask her, she turns round and smiles again "I want you to gather each different sort of weapon in the forge by tomorrow, I'm going to teach you how to fight" she says as she comes closer to me smiles and kisses me one more time before whispering in my ear

"I'm going to train my boyfriend"


	5. Chapter 5 You can use both?

**Hi Guy and Gals 5th chapter up, and to be honest it can be a marmite effect on this one, you either love it or hate it but I think I gave it a good plot for this one. Once again thanks to Rumbling Night Cutter and httydlover626 for their awesome help and awesome stories, Fellow readers if haven't seen their stories, go read them please, especially if you like doctor who or vikings that can turn into furies. anyway enjoy the this chapter. just to let you know the ****_Italic _****Writing at the start is dream writing and *this* means sound effects. So be nice or I might do what Valka in brother NightFury did to Gobbers outhouse :D**

**Chapter 5: You can use both?**

**Hiccup POV**

_The house's, the barns even the great hall of Berk are on fire, screams all round, men, women and children alike running in fear, but wait fear?, we're Vikings, we never show fear so what could frighten the people this bad? _

_I got my answer..._

_Large black devils running around the village chasing, capturing the women and children while the men lay dead upon the ground as the devils laughed at what they committed._

_One black devil chased two small children into a corner, a boy and girl, they're so young looking at them, most barely into their third winter, the little girl with auburn hair and blue eye's cowered behind the boy who has blond hair and green eye's, he was holding out a dagger shaking as the devil got closer_

_"b-back off y-you! I mean it" the boy say nervously still holding the dagger up._

_The devil laughed at the boy and stretched out his hand to grab the children but suddenly stopped, pain in his eye's as he looked down to his chest to see a flaming curved sword stick out of it, slowly turning his head to see the owner, only to come face to face with an armoured man, thin yes he looked but clearly seeing muscles underneath his armour, he must have to thrust his sword through a chest plate and through to the other side. The devil looked scared at what just happened but what scared him most was the attackers eye's, fiery glowing eye's, it showed something that was once so calm turn to full rage._

_The attacker pulled out his curved sword and backed away for the devil to see who was in front of him, six other armoured figures but behind them is what shocked him even more..._

_Dragons! _

_Standing behind the figures so calmly but glaring at the devil, showing fear, it scared me more too, then suddenly a purple light appeared and the devil was on the floor...motionless_

_Looking around for the holder of the purple light I come face to face with something black and scaly but the eye's like the attackers...was green and staring right at me..._

"...woah!" I fell out of bed, waking myself up very quickly, I look around the room only to see darkness, putting my hand to my head I feel sweat pouring off me, was that a dream? It felt so real "weird"

*thud thud thud bang!*

Suddenly dad comes rushing upstairs bursting through my bedroom door with a...chair in his hands. Seriously a chair? what was he going to do with a chair is someone broke in? sit them to death?

"what happened!? who's attacking!? where are they!? why are they her..." my dad shouted until he looked down to me sitting on the floor, his face going from angry defensive to confused deadpanned look "...you fell out of bed didn't you?" he said to me putting down the chair looking a bit calmer "Hiccup you scared the hell out of me! what was that about?" 'seriously? I've just woke up from a strange dream, sweat pouring off me and he asks that? and all this time I thought he didn't care' I sarcastically think to myself well better give him some sort of answer otherwise he'll never let me live it down. "just a bad dream dad, nothing too dramatic" I say looking at his bare feet, strange? I never knew he was missing some toes?.

Looking at me he sit down on the chair and starts to speak calmly "son" putting his large hand upon my shoulder "there's no need to be embarrassed about a bad dream, even I get them too, mine usually involves losing your mother" he finishes off with a sigh.

Wait. did my dad just open up to me? I must be dreaming still. But something in his voice when he mention my mom, sadness, I never knew my mom since she was taken before I was even past my first winter.

"dad"

He looks at me "what is it son?"

"I was just wondering? what was my mother like?" I ask him without even looking, I know I was asking a lot but while we had one of these rare moments I needed to ask.

He smiles back at me "she was exactly like you Hiccup, never very Viking like, sure she could take on anyone, which I have the scar to prove it" he says lifting up his left arm to reveal a faint scar, my mom did that? looking at it with confusion to which my dad chuckles "that's right, your mother was tough but gentle at the same time, but she refused to kill dragons, she wanted to study them, find ways to stop them raiding without death being the answer, so like I said son, not Viking like, but I still loved her, and she loved you too" he says sighing "it's a shame the same devils who she tried to learn from took her away from us, you do remind me of her, even though I know you try Hiccup to kill dragons, but it always ends with at least one building blown apart by one of your crazy inventions" he said shaking his head "but I do have a feeling one day you'll fight just as well as one of us, maybe even more" he finishes smiling at me before standing up and heading out of the door but not before he says a few last words "but not yet" and walks downstairs leaving me a little stunned at what he said, my mom was like me, but could fight.

"hmm" I say to myself "maybe Astrid helping me to fight might do some good after all". with that I remember what Astrid told me bout gathering different weapons and bringing them to the cove "gods this'll be a painful day today" I say glumly.

**Several hours later at the Cove Astrid POV**

Walking into the Cove I was expecting to be on the floor from exhaustion from just carrying a couple of weapon down to here from the forge, but as I head into the clearing my eye's widen to what I see before me.

Lot and lots of weapon laid out on the floor different shapes and sizes ranging from small daggers to large warhammers, by the nine realms how did he even get all this here?

Looking around again I see something even more shocking, practice dummies. 'I didn't tell him to get them? sure they'll help but I never thought Hiccup would really want to do this. Did he really love me that much to try and impress the others just for my sake?' smiling at that thought but my attention is broken when I hear someone behind me, warrior instincts kick in, I grab my axe and ready to turn and swing but stop as I see..

"Hiccup!"

"ahh Astrid!, please don't chop my head off, it's the only one I got" he quickly says flinching a bit. I see him holding in his hands a bow and a quiver of arrows as well as his sketchbook in his arms, which drops out of his hand to which I catch.

Lifting it up I decide that now's the time to look inside at what he does in it.

But to my surprise as I open to the first page I see drawings, amazing drawings, different designs of inventions and calculations on how they function, did he really do all these? "Hiccup..." I say skimming through the pages, there wasn't just designs but drawings of houses, wildlife, a couple of dragons, he really has captured the monsterous nightmare really well, as well as people "these drawings are incredible! I never knew you could dra..." I was cut short when looking at one page to find...me, he's drawn me in perfect detail even down to the many spikes on my skirt, but how, I never stood still long enough for him to draw me, that's when I realised how much I mean to him. I smile at his and rush right up to him a give him a real passionate kiss.

A few minutes later I pull away from a goofy smile Hiccup, still dazed from the kiss, shaking his head back into reality he finally speaks "wow Astrid, what was that for?" to which I reply back "just for being you, and this..." I punch him in the shoulder to which he drops the bow and quiver "...is for not telling me how talented you are at drawing" I finish off with a sly smile.

**Hiccup POV**

This is still new to me, she punches or/and kisses me, probably why I love her so, cause she's as crazy as me.

Anyway enough of that, I spent all morning dragging these weapons here and it wasn't easy by myself so hope they come in handy.

"so err Astrid, shall we...get started with err training?" I say nervously to which she shakes her head realising why were out here "oh yeah, thanks for reminding me, right okay Hiccup now we got all the weapons available for us to use, the first step to what my father told me about fighting is to first find the right weapon to suit you so with that in mind lets get started, but I will inform you through Hiccup, daggers and bows are good weapons but only as secondary one's you need a weapon strong enough to handle melee attacks both defensively and offensively" she finishes off with us both walking back into the cove.

She walks up to the large warhammer right in front of us and easily picks it up in both hand "the warhammer, good for defense and offense of used correctly" she says as she tosses it to me

*thud!*

"ow" I say as I lay on the ground with the warhammer covering most of my body, I can't even move it let alone hold it in my hand, I only got it here by dragging it.

"right...warhammer off the list on that one" she say's to me trying to hold back a laugh but pulls herself together as she comes near me to lift the warhammer and me off the ground.

She goes to the next weapon which happens to be a battleaxe, again she lifts it up with ease and tosses it to me, this time, I manage to grab it without falling, wow there's a first for me to which she smiles "go ahead, give it a swing, see how it feels" she says to which I regret as the force of the swung axe in my arms pulls me in the same direction as the axe itself which happens to be in the lake.

*splash!*

I surface out of the water spitting water out only to see Astrid on the floor laughing clutching onto her sides.

"oh yes very funny, I can feel the love Astrid" I say sarcastically

Several painstakingly hours later

"okay Hiccup, well at least we established what you can and can't wield" Astrid says as we both sat down eating the fish we just cooked, well I cooked Astrid managed to burn hers to charcoal, lucky enough I gave her half of mine so no worries on that, like I eat a lot anyway.

Astrid carries on as we look around the cove at all the weapon all over the place, some embedded in nearby trees, most in the lake, I'm not saying how many times I was in there today "so we know you can't handle warhammers, battleaxes, maces, long swords, flails, spears, hachets and even a staff" she say rubbing the top of her head on that last one "sorry again for that one Astrid, I didn't think I'd be that bad as I thought" I say look down at my feet, but her hand gently grabs hold of mine, I look up to see her smile "you don't need to say sorry Hiccup" she said calmly at me "we all have a weapon out there that suits us all, even you" she finishes kissing me on the cheek "besides, there's one more weapon we haven't tried yet" she says point at a sword on the ground, she picks it up and examines it and starts to look confused "huh? it's a little curved, did you pick up a broken one by mistake Hiccup?" she ask's me with a questionable look but I smile and reply back "you know I thought that too when I showed Gobber, but he said it's suppose to look like that, he got it from trader Johan who told him it was from somewhere he called the middle east or something like that, says this particular sword is a prototype, called it a...what do you call that now? a schitmer? a shimmy? a shesh kebob?" rattling my brain I try to think what Gobber said, suddenly it hit me "a Scimitar!" I blurted out.

Astrid still looking a little confused on the design of the sword shrugs her shoulders and tosses me the scimitar to which I catch with my left hand with ease but quickly change to my right, Astrid notices but doesn't say a word.

I give the weapon a twirl in my right hand, it feels so like but as I slash it through the air I feel something different with this weapon, it moves freely with my arm, like it's an extension, a fifth limb you might say, it just feels so natural to me, so easy, so...right.

**Astrid POV**

I don't what am I seeing, I mean I know Hiccups different to a traditional Viking but he's slashing the air with the most unviking weapon I've ever come across with ease, even when hiccup was using the short sword he never felt as free like he did with this, but something else caught my attention earlier, even though he's using his right hand, he grabbed it easily with his left hand instead, I wonder? "hey Hiccup can you err do me a favor please?" I say to him and he nods back in reply "can you put that thing in your left hand and use it the same as you just did now?" I ask him "okay but why Astrid?" he asks back with a confusing look on his face, I decide to shrug my shoulders "no particular reason just want to test something out" I reply back to which he shrugs his shoulders before placing the scimitar in his left hand and starts to copy what he just did with his right.

Just like his right arm, his left can handle the scimitar easily with equal measures. Looking down at hi feet I see something interesting, they're moving to the scimitars movements, like some sort of dance, this boy of mine is amazing, and only finding this out in just a couple of days, why couldn't see this talent of his...besides Gobber of course.

And then it happened.

He just did a Hiccup

Tripping over his own feet the scimitar flies out of his hand and towards a large stone snapping in two. But that wasn't worrying me, Hiccup, my Hiccup might of hurt himself, 'did you just say that Astrid?' I thought to myself, never thought in my life I would be worried about Hiccup and even calling him that 'ah screw it, he is my Hiccup' I smile at that last thought as I walk up to Hiccup only to hear him laugh.

I turn him over only to him cheering to himself

"woohoo wow that was a rush, I almost had it!" he shouts with a smile upon his face, I myself am still feeling the shock at what he acomplished with that weapon and even more shocked he could handle it with each of his arms.

"Hiccup, y-you can use bo-both arms on that weapon with ease?" I say to him, still can't believe what I saw, he looks at me with a straight face and shrugs "well to tell you the truth Astrid, my power is in my left arm as I found out ages ago while holding a hammer but I favored my right arm so I wouldn't feel too much of a freak so I guess using most of right arm gave it a bit of strength to be as strong as my left..." he said but stopped as I see him thinking about something then turns his head to look at me.

"say Astrid, do you know anything about wielding a weapon in each hand?" he asks me excitedly.

I think for a minute before smiling back know what Hiccup wanted to do "I do know about it babe, it's called duel wielding, can be like a dance but it's very difficult, only a handful of people that ever lived managed it, it's tricky to learn and if you're not concentrating on the practise it can be something stupid" I say to him as he frowns at me one second "well I already did something stupid" he says gesturing to the broken scimitar by the rocks "but now I want to do something crazy!" as he says this he runs up to me kisses my on the lips runs up to sketchbook and grabs it before doing the same with the broken scimitar before running out of the cove.

"you milady are amazing!" I hear him shout as he leaves

I smile at what he said before I say to no one in particular "no babe, you're amazing" knowing what he was going to do with that incredible brain of his.


	6. Chapter 6 Handy

**Right here we are chapter 6 of this story, glad I got the time to do it. Hope its fun and a bit of laughter (no exploding toilet this time but still a Gobber tease) Ok the ****_Italic _****Writing at first of a dream hiccup had basically the same dream as last time but with this say going over the voices from last time. also moved it up a year as I want to get toothless in within the next couple of chapters so we'll all have our beloved night fury in the frame soon but my burning question is should he keep his tail fin or go by what film? you decide my lovely lads and lasses (sound kind of creepy that lol) anyway, enjoy and lets get on with the shoooooow**

**Oh added note: the flashback part I found inspiration from watching the Yogetscast 1millionth subscriber video and from pirates of the carribean, watch it and you'll see what I mean :D **

**Chapter 6: Handy**

_Beware, beware of the metal arm man_

_for he will bring terror and madness to the sane_

_The metal arm man beware for he should be afraid_

_For the price of terror must be paid_

_A man, a saviour of hope and light_

_Shall face evil with all his might_

_For he is not alone, but they are those_

_Skin and scales together with him to oppose_

_Human and beast stand as one_

_For this is the new age of man and dragon_

Hiccup woke up from his sleep suddenly as he felt his heart race in his chest, sweat pouring off his face as he wipes it with his vest.

"strange" he said to no one in particular "I haven't had a weird dream like that for around a year now" he pondered his thoughts wondering what all this meant "and who this metal arm man it kept saying?" he shrugged his shoulders as he realised it was still dark out and couldn't get back to sleep now "ah well might as well get to the forge and sort out a few of his inventions and give his scimitars a good tweak before meeting Astrid later for training.

It's been a whole year now since the incident in the cove between the two young Vikings which they agreed to keep their relationship a secret until Hiccup can prove himself worthy to be with her (even though in her eyes he already was the way she keeps looking at his butt) but she agreed to train him how to fight and even find weapon.

Or should I say weapons, since finding out he can work the scimitar easily in each hand, he opted to be trained in duel wielding which gave him the idea of making his own scimitars, two sets to be exact.

One set for practising purposes.

And the other set, is what he has worked on for the time he had in the forge to spare, and I'll let Hiccup explain later on why he was going to tweak them.

But I can tell you this, all those hours of practising with his girlfriend has paid off a lot, even if he's still small, his reflexes are quicker than when he first started and can swing both scimitar around with ease...

"WOAH!" Hiccup trips over one of his practise scimitars and lands head first into his chamber pot

...but, he's still as clumsy as ever.

As Hiccup pulled the pot off his head he was thankful it was empty or he would of been really pissed (no pun intended).

He eventually picked up his notes on his designs he worked on last night and headed downstairs towards the door ' hmm dad must be in another long meeting in the great hall again, most likely trying to figure out whole blew up the chicken house yesterday' he thought to himself with a smirk, only two people know more about explosions than Hiccup does and he also knows the Thorston twins love to play their pranks, although funny enough throughout the year the twins haven't pulled one on him all year.

"I'll have to ask Astrid about that later on" he said to himself as he ran straight for the forge.

**Hiccup POV**

As I ran towards the forge I notice it was already lit up which came to two reasons

One: Gobbers was there early

Or Two : I left the forge lit all night and the glow is it catching fire

At that last thought I ran as fast as I could towards the glow, but as I got to the window, to my relief, was Gobber stoking up the fire but wasn't getting it ready for smelt, but looks like he's cooking bacon.

He spots me next to the window and smiles "mornin Hiccup, yer up early" Gobber says to me as he gestures for me to enter the forge while he grabs the cooked bacon and puts it between two half sliced bread rolls and quickly takes a bite out of it.

"morning Gobber yeah couldn't sleep so thought I'd do some tweaks with my weapons" I reply back to him as I got my leather apron on, Gobber looks at me confused.

"tweakin lad? ye don tweak a weapon lad ye sharpen it" he informs me tapping me on the head with his hammered arm, ouch.

As I rub my head feeling if there's a lump forming, to my relief no, I head toward the back room where my latest project lay on the table waiting to be picked up.

Two long arm bands with metal rods and parts that look like discs with teeth all the way around the edges.

I don't know why I made them at first, it was something in a dream I had and how with several other like it they can all turn as one starts dragging the next one along which that drags the next, I didn't know what to name them at first, but for sure wasn't going to use Gobbers name for them "teethy circles" so in the end I called them gears, seemed simpler to say.

I walk out the back with both devices attached to my arms as I show Gobber then, he looked confused, nothing new, he never could get his head around half the things I made.

"err lad wha kind o weapon are those thing" he asks me as he takes another bite out of his sandwich.

With a sly smile, I hold out my left arm and using my fingers, press a button on the palm of my hand.

Suddenly one of the metal rods (this one has several leather strips around it) unfolded out, followed by a small broken blade unfolding, followed by another and another till it started forming the curved blade of a scimitar.

After if fully unfolded I grab the leather striped rod which represented the hilt and I twirled around once and struck at Gobbers sandwich which sliced it in half.

Gobber looked at me, mouth hanging wide open as he looks from his sandwich to the blade, to me.

"handy" he eventually said, shaking his head as I flick a tiny switch on my wrist which folds everything back inside the armband "seems everytime I see ye lad ye seem te have some sort o new crazy idea after the next, o course that wouldn make ye Hiccup other wise" he says to me with a cheeky grin.

"thanks for summing that up" I say dripping with sarcasm as I lay the armbands out and start messing with the spring coils to make the blade unfold faster while keeping it strong.

It took me a long while to get the adjustments right and I finally got it to a point it should come out perfectly, of course one day I need to find a stronger metal that'll be lighter as iron alone is sturdy but can get my speed up due to it being heavy.

"well lad I'm gonna take a nap, now" Gobber said as he finished his half sandwich "been in tha meetin all night and it's worn me out".

"okay Gobber" I say to my multi limb challenged mentor as he start to slowly hobble away towards his house at the back of the forge, but bfore he could go I shout to him "I'll come round later on the wake you up if you like" I say with an evil grin upon my face.

He quickly turns around and the look of shock was entire worth scaring him "don ye dare lad! not after wha happened las time" he shouts to me as I start to laugh, remembering why he doesn't want to wake him up

**Flashback 6 months ago**

_Gobber found out about me and Astrid dating so took every opportunity to tease us about it and every time always stating when the babies going to be due, knowing full well I wouldn't do that unless it was the proper way as I don't want to dishonor Astrid for it. _

_But today I'll get my own back._

_Dad asked me to go wake up Gobber for a meeting on the dragon problem...again. So before I head down towards Gobbers house I make a quick detour towards the village well and grab myself two buckets of freezing cold water as I dragged them towards Gobbers house and into his room where I see him snoring, perfect, now to put my plan into action._

_"morning Gobber, I got you an ale, are you all right?" I gently say to him as he groans_

_*SPLASH!* Bucket number one gone_

_"wha, wha what the fu...oh odins beard!" Gobber shouts in surprise as he get out of bed, dripping wet giving me daggers "wha was tha fer Hiccup!?" he yells at me as I put an innocent face "dad wants you in a meeting and it hard some days to wake you up, seemed like the best option at the time" I say trying to hold back a laugh._

_"well it was a dumb option" _

_"it work didn't it"_

_"ah ok lad I'll give ye that, I am awa..." he said but couldn't finish as..._

_*SPLASH!* Bucket number two went over him_

_"god dammit I'm already awake!" he shout at me looking like a drowned rat now_

_"that was for the smell" I say to him as high tail it out of the room and his house as he quickly hobbles after me._

_"YE SON O A HALF TROLL! WAIT TILL I GET HOLD O YE!" I hear Gobber yell very loudly as I head towards the forest and hide there till he calms._

**End of flashback**

Smiling at the memory I finally get back to work as as the finishing few tweaks to my new weapons, strapping them to my arms I can't help but admire how my brain could come up with this.

Although these are great, It's not my ultimate design I want to do, but until I can get hold of the materials and that light and stronger metal, that'll have to be put on hold as I look up to where the sun is and realise its mid morning. so I tidy up the forge, put out the fires and head across the village.

Upon the way I spot Ruffnut and Tuffnut messing around with Mildews cart of cabbage, Mildew is, putting it nicely...

a git! always stirring up the island and giving my dad a bigger headache than he already has, so seeing the twin do something to his cart, I let them do it.

Suddenly they spot me, knowing they'll be over soon to beat the living daylights out of me like Snotlout I prepare for the worse.

But it never came.

Instead they just smiled and waved at me before going back to their prank. Very odd. Looking around I notice Snotlout no where near them, or me.

I shrug and carry on towards the forest.

**An little while later inside of the forest Normal POV**

As Hiccup walks casually through the forest, a figure in the tree's watching over him, blue eye's staring out of the shadow as they watch the auburn haired boy get closer and closer until the shadowed figure jumps out swinging her double-headed battle axe above her as she falls down next to hiccup to stike.

*CLANG!*

Her attack was stopped by two blade crossed together, protecting their owner.

She pulls her axe back and goes for a side swing but again

*CLANG!*

Blades meet blade again stopping the offense

The blond girl pulls her axe back again as she swings her axe faster and faster with each swing.

But the boy keeps on the defense parrying her blows each time but can't get a hit in either

Swing after swing both not landing a single hit upon each other until the girl took her furred boot and slammed it into the boys gut, sending him flying to the ground.

Groaning with his eye's closed he feels extra weight on his chest and can't move his arms.

He opens his eye's to see his attacker on top of him, both her knees on each of his arms so he can't attack.

"you put up a good fight Haddock but I'm the victor today, and I claim my reward" the blond girl says as she lifts up her axe ad puts it on her back as she cups Hiccups cheek in both hands and gives him a long passionate kiss before moving away from his lips and smiling.

"happy anniversary babe" Astrid says as she notices a goofy smile forming upon his face making her giggle.

"happy anniversary to you too milady, but you know there's a flaw in that reward you claimed" He said to her with a cheeky grin.

"oh really? and what's that?" she asks him, both hands on her hips but still with a smile on her face.

"well it felt like a reward to me" he said cheekily which got him a reply of a punch to the shoulder followed by an "ow!"

After their little sparring match in the forest, both teens headed down toward the cove to get some more practise in and have a day of enjoying the view and each others company.

After several minutes of silence, Astrid spoke first "I got to admit Hiccup, you have improved a lot in this short space of time, I'm really proud of you" giving Hiccup a genuine smile to which he gave one back.

"thanks Astrid but I'll never be as good as you" he replied back earning himself a punch in the shoulder again and a kiss on the cheek.

"well don't forget I've been training for years now, for you to come this far in only a year is impressive indeed and you'll only get better as time goes by" she say's to him giving him a reassuring smile.

"yeah but we're getting older now and I have a bad feeling that if I don't change the villages mind about me soon, they'll try to marry you off to someone like Snotlout" he said.

Astrid had to hold back the vomit at the thought of being married to Snotface "that's disgusting Hiccup! I'd rather run butt naked into a nightmares mouth than marry that!" she said in a disgusted tone of voice but turns to Hiccup holding his hand and smiling at him "my parents like you babe, they were well impressed that you made that axe and my fathers sword plus I noticed that the twins don't tease you much any more so there's a plus".

"yeah that's thing" Hiccup asked her "why arn't they picking on me now, why is that?".

Astrid starts to smile as she realises Hiccup didn't know "well you remember I told you about what I did to Snotface last year after I found out about the axe" she asked him and he nodded in reply "well afterwards from what Fishlegs told me was that the twins couldn't stop laughing at him, told him he deserved it as it was low even for them" she said shaking her head "anyway he didn't take kindly so he decided to ditch them in favor for another gang who believe he'll be the next chief." she scoffed at that last bit "yeah right, he won't last a week before he gets dethroned. But to cut a long story short since you earn some respect by your skills as a blacksmith, and believe me they stole every weapon they found to find your mark, they decided to give you a break which found more time for pranking to be done" she finished with a laugh as she snuggled next to Hiccup who held her tightly.

"okay I'll admit I'm not a complete screw up, but I still need to prove it to my dad" he said to her thinking of a way to make his dad proud of him.

Suddenly an idea pops into his head and his smile widens "and I know a way to do it" he says to Astrid as she looks up at his

"how?" she asks looking excited that her boyfriends brain is going to do something crazily good.

"come next raid, I'm going to kill a dragon"


	7. Chapter 7 I saw myself

**Okay peeps and peepets Mr Sandman here, time for a new chapter of something stupid something crazy, A long on in my case and we finally get to the where the movie finally starts with a little twist to make it interesting. so sit back enjoy the ye olde times of berk. **

**Chapter 7: I saw myself**

**Hiccup POV**

"Okay tenth times the charm..." I say as I recalibrate the mangler again so it launches correctly.

This is the tenth raid that's happened where I failed to capture even one dragon, the only things I caught was a cold from jumping into the sea after it somehow caught fire and the neighbours cat, stupid animal, what would possess it to think sleeping on a bola is a good idea.

Still another first for me besides stealing Astrids heart, first cat on a flight path. Shame dad gave me the full scalding treatment on my inventions, once again. But like any other Viking, I'm stubborn and will keep trying till I prove to everyone on Berk I am one of them and finally prove I'm worthy of being with Astrid, of course she says differently saying I'm already am, punching me every time I say otherwise, that girl of mine really loves her violence.

"...Hiccup I kno ye wan te prove te the village ye a Viking, bu ye'll never change their minds when ye do things like this" Gobber remarks to me while gesturing to my invention.

"err you just gestured to the mangler" I reply back "makes a first" I mumble afterwards, sighing I turn around to Gobber and look him straight in the eyes "I want to show everyone my potential, to show them there's more to me than meets the eye, to show them...I'm not useless".

**Gobber POV**

Hear these words coming from someone I think as a son breaks my heart, hey even Viking have a soft spot and this lad is mine, if only Stoick and the rest of Berk can see it.

Excluding the Hoffersons of course, they simply adore the lad.

I know sometime Helga, Astrids mother, would come by the forge just to drop off something for Hiccup, sometimes fresh baked bread, sometimes fish but always with a smile on her face. I guess I'm not the only one who found out about Hiccup and Astrid little secret, more likely because of Astrid always looking...well, happy, something she's not seen in her daughter in a long time, and it all thanks to the lad.

Alfsted was like the other Vikings on the outside, but on the inside grew fond of him too, he only wanted to see his eldest daughter happy, which was a reason he wanted to get her an axe for her birthday last year. I remember a one day like no other...

**_Flashback_**

_Pounding away at broken sword of Buckets, again, I wonder how he gets it this damaged so easily, and why's there butter all over the blade?ah well I'll never know._

_Looking through the window of the forge I see Alfsted Hofferson coming this way._

_"Mornin Alfsted, wha brings ye here at this time day, sword need resharpenin again?" I happily greet him as soon as he walk though the doorway._

_"morning Gobber, no no, that sword is very sharp still thanks" he said to me waving his hands in front of me "I was actually looking for that apprentice of yours, Hiccup" he finishes._

_Looking a bit confused as to why he wants to see Hiccup, to which he see's the look of confusion written on my face, he pulls his long sword from his back and shows it to me, like I haven't seen it before, of course Hiccup was the fine sharpener and creator of it and even to this day I am amazed how well it still look._

_"Nothing bad but I heard from Ellaina Thorston that she overheard her twins about how Hiccup made most of the weapons on Berk includingmy daughtes axe, well may as well ask you. I the rumour true?" he asks me, look on his face said a thousand words, rare for a Viking I might add, but the one word that stuck out most in the blond man's face was "Interest"._

_Smiling from cheek to cheek I slowly took the sword from it's owner, tilting the sword to show the underside of the hilt where Hiccup left his mark I let Alfsted look "see fer yerself" I say as he looks at the mark "what do ye see?"._

_He looks as the mark carefully before his eye's widen, he then looks at me before speaking "t-that's his mark? H.H.H three?" he ask me still looking shocked but my wide smile never faded._

_"that's right, Hiccup marks all his created weapons with that, in fact ye sword was the first one he made, besides his dagger" I said pointing at a dagger on a stand of its own._

_I remember Hiccup trying to protest that it was just a dagger, but I won that argument saying that a blacksmiths first successful creation means a lot, it proves they can smith and a good omen of greater things to come. Naturally he gave up arguing and let it be._

_Alfsted looks at the dagger then back t his sword then back to me before speaking again "Gobber this was his first sword he made? but I've had this for..."_

_"eight year? yep that's right, he made it to cheer ye up after wha happened with ye brother Finn an the Flightmare" I said cutting him off in mid sentence, shock was on his face still, jaw dropped so close to the ground, I thought he would trip over it._

_Suddenly he did something I wasn't expecting at all._

_He laughed, but it wasn't a don't-be-so-ridiculous but something else entirely different._

_"oh that boy! he might be clumsy but if he's good with making weapons like these, then there's more to him than we all took for granted" he managed to say after calming down for laughing._

_Finally someone else who see's him for more than just a...well_...a hiccup.

**_End of flashback_**

...and from that day on Alfsted saw Hiccup in a different light, I gotta say Hiccup will never fail to surprise me, I just wish the other saw him like that too.

"Hiccup I know ye'll never give up tryin bu jus be careful, I don want Mildew coming round ere again complainin tha ye sent a flyin feline o death after him again, no matter how funny it was" I said to him trying to keep a straight face although I can tell it wasn't working.

"don't worry Gobber, this time I will capture a dragon, just have faith in me" he replies back with them puppy dog eye's of his.

Gods I hate it when he does that, try double effect when him and Astrid asked if he can have the plans for the scimitars which I was skeptical at first seeing as they broke the only one I had but gave them up when they gave me them eye's.

"ok, ok fine, bu don' let me catch ye cocking up this time" I finally say rolling my eye's

He smiles and runs off to the forest with those fancy weapons of his, realising that he was late for training with those things.

Well lets see how things go the next time we have a raid, who knows maybe he might capture a dragon, maybe a terror or something easy to catch.

Oh Odins beard, what he'll capture will be something non of us expected until.

**That Night Hiccup POV**

"Lets see, if I align the crank over here and place the buckets here this should help it moving water easier than just digging a well every three summers until it dries up plus it'll save hours of lugging water back and forth by hand" I say to myself as I sit at my desk in my room whilst drawing up designs in a nearly full sketchbook that had all sorts to go by, from farming to defense from invaders weither they be dragon or human.

It was a gift I was going to give to my dad once it was full, things that'll help improve the village and even help us with our way of life. But deep down I was hoping he will accept it and take my designs seriously.

*Yawn*

Woah I'm tired, well it was a long day of training, still a lot to learn when it comes to using scimitars since only one side is sharp meaning attacks would need to be slashes instead of the occasional stab, of course you can still stab but but not as effective, at the momet while I'm sill looking for the perfect metal to use for it, slashing techniques will do for now.

*Yawn*

"Ok I'm just going to rest my head for a biiii...zzzzzzz"

Dream

Purple light...

Scaled armour...

Demons...

Horned deranged man...

The metal arm man...

Green dragonic eyes...

BLACK DRAGON!...

*THUD!*

*BANG!*

*ROAR!*

"wha..." I said as I suddenly woke up as I hear what was going on outside.

After rubbing my eye's to wipe away the sleep, I then realised what was happen.

I get out of my chair, rush downstairs and open the front door only to be greeted by fire to which I slam it shut again.

"dragons"

Another dragon raid, perfect, with my new an improved mangler I will capture a dragon and the village will see me differently.

Opening the door again as I rush toward the forge where I'd best help Gobber with the weapons. On my way I hear the usual things thown towards me

"what's you doing out here boy"

"get back inside!"

"useless get inside, we don't want you mess to clean up too"

'wow uncle Spitelout really show the love for his nephew' I think sarcastically to myself

Suddenly my arm its grabbed by fat hands, unfortunately I know who it belongs to

"who let him out? what are you doing out? never mind get inside before you cause any damage this morning"

'well good morning to you dad' again the sarcasm is strong in me.

After he freed my arm I rush to the forge where a busy Gobber was hard at work.

"well goo mornin, thought ye'd be eaten by now"he says to me as he replaces a broken hammerhead.

Putting on my leather apron I start pumping air into the forge to get it hotter "come on Gobber they wouldn't know what to with all this" I said gesturing to myself.

"well they need toothpicks" Gobber replies laughing as I give him a scowl.

"you make that remark every raid, one day you'll get bored of it" I say back to which he shrugs, but back to the matter at hand, the dragons.

The way I see it here's how to get ahead in life of a Berkian when depending on which dragon to kill:

Deadly Nadder: fast poisonous, one of those should earn me some respect.

Gronkle: Armoured body, killing one of those would get anyone a girlfriend, of course I don't need one of those to get me one but it would give me enough popularity to not embarrass Astrid (good thing she can't read my mind otherwise she'd punch me on that one)

Hideous Zippleback: Two heads twice the status one releases gas, the other egnights it.

Then there's the Monstrous Nightmare: These hot-headed bad boys have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire, only the most well trained Vikings go after those.

But all these dragons don't have the highest of status earning than the one dragon no one has even seen before:

"NIGHT FURY!" "GET DOWN!" some of the men shout as a purple blast from out of nowhere blows up a nearby catapult.

It's strange though for a dragon to do, It never steals food, its never seen and it never misses.

'That's the dragon to take out' I think to myself as I look at the mangler a realise tonight's the night, I just need a window of opportunity.

*BOOM!*

One of the houses catch again, I think I'd best design a house made out of stone for this lot, otherwise they'll be no more forest.

And just on time the fire crew arrive to put it out. The usual crowd, Fishlegs, the twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Snotlout and his new gang:

Ugthug: Name says it all, Snotlouts muscle and twice as stupid, hows that's possible I don't know. Shaved head so he can feel the cold he says, told you, stupid. And a face even a Gronkle would be ill to look at.

Samson: That the blond one, traditional Viking trait, bulging muscles, etc. However he's the brains of the gang but not the leader, this guys a kiss-ass thinking Snotlout will be on the throne next hoping to be his advisor.

Angelica: Only female of the group, dark brown braided hair, kind of like Astrids but never in the same league as my Astrid, where as Astrid has ocean blue eye's you can swim in, hers was acid green, the kind to cause pain if you swim in them. And the very big difference between them is that she has a crush on Snotlout, but still Snotlout still wants Astrid, fat chance.

Although I'm not paying much attention to any (well maybe the twins and fishlegs since they don't pick on me any more) the only one I see is a certain Blond haired Valkyrie who I still believe the whole of Asgard is still looking for.

Astrid, my Astrid, with a smile to put fear into her enemies and protect those she loves.

Who's walking up to me.

"babe you know if you keep looking at the flames you'll go blind" she whispers in my ears with a smile on her face.

"yeah but it's not the flame's that'll blind me, more of your shining beauty" I cheekily reply back, I feel her cheeks go red from blushing as she punches me in the shoulder but still smiles.

"I'll see you later Hiccy" she says before kissing me on the cheek and running off to get more water, wow that girl of mine really can stun anyone she want's.

I don't realise I still standin there in a daze till Gobber pokes me with his hook "ow!".

"come on lover boy keep an eye on the shop while I face a few dragons, so don' move" Gobber says changing his prosthetic arm from smith hammer to war axe, but before he leaves he turns to me again and shouts "now stay, still, stay put, that's a good boy!".

'Really Gobber, does he think I'm a dog ' I think to myself as I give him a deadpan look before sarcastically replying "woof" giving him a smirk before he shrugs and walks out mumbling "ay ya sarcastic twit" and with that starts yelling at a Gronkle that's in front of him.

Now here's my chance...

I remove my apron grab hold of the handle of the mangler and run out the shops towards the hill, avoiding Viking and dragons alike until I reach my position.

I release the stands of the mangler to keep is in one place as I flip the switch that triggers the whole lot to spring out and ready for launching.

Keeping an eye out on the sky for that Night Fury through the scope I made, I play the waiting game until I have a clear shot.

"come one, give me something to hit" I say to myself looking for anything out of place.

**Astrid POV**

The last of the fires put out for now, I sense that something's out of place, then it hits me as I look at the forge to see its empty.

Hiccups out here somewhere.

I panic wondering where he's gone and if he's hurt or worse.

'no don't think that Astrid' I think to myself as I still look around.

Suddenly a whistling sound is heard and before I knew it one of the towers is blown up engulf in purple flames.

Damn Night Fury.

But that's not what catching my eye, the black shape of that said dragon as it flies away but not before being hit by something hard and crashes somewhere deep in the forest.

"what? w-who hit it..." I was left speechless after that for what I saw upon the hill was.

Hiccup, my Hiccup, he did it.

He hit a Night Fury.

"I did it! did anyone see that!?" I hear him shout

"yes, yes I did babe" I say out loud smiling at him, but that smile turns to worry as I see a monstrous nightmare climbing up the hill towards him.

"oh shit! you saw it too didn't you?" I hear him shout sarcastically at the dragon as it crushes his machine and he runs away scream while being chased by the fire engulfed nightmare.

Of course Im not the only one to see it as one other see's it and goes chasing after him.

Stoick the Vast comes running up the hill towards his son and the dragon as Hiccup hides behind one of the fire pillars for safety as the dragon breathes it's last lot of fire upon the wooden structure before rearing round to finish him off.

But not before Stoick jumps the beast wrestling it to the ground giving it a few rounds of punches before it takes off.

As I finally reach Hiccup the pillar had fallen down and allowed some of the captured dragons to escape but not before taking some of the livestock with them.

Oh this will not go well for Hiccup.

Everyone starts glaring at him as he looks around nervously before saying "okay but I hit a Night Fury" to which everyone groans but me, I know the truth but as everyone keeps groaning Hiccup looks at me and shakes his head.

Even if he embarrasses himself he won't let me feel like that either.

Another reason I fell for him.

"But it's true dad, I really did hit it this time, you guy's were busy and I had a clear shot , it crashed somewhere near ravens point, we can send out a search party to look for ..." but he was cut of by Stoick as he gives him a disappointed look.

"Enough Hiccup! Just...STOP! Every time you step outside disaster follow. Can't you see I have bigger problems to deal with! Winter is almost upon us and I have the entire village to feed" Stoick can lay it on thick when he wants to, but why he's the chief a lot of people would leave it at that and take his orders.

Hiccup however was like his father, very stubborn and from what my father told me about Stoick when he was younger, sarcastic too "well to be honest dad, I think the village could do with a little less feeding don't you think?".

While most of the villages look down at their stomachs from what HIccup said, I was trying hard not to laugh, that boy of mine could face the Roman army with swords in every angle pointing at him and he would still be witty.

But Stoick wasn't amused "this isn't a joke Hiccup! why can't you follow the simplest orders!?".

Hiccup quickly responds "I-I can't help it dad! I see a dragon and I have to just..." he does a headlock imitation of what he would do to a dragon "..kill it, you know? It's who I am dad" Finishes with a sigh of defeat.

To which Stoick starts to sigh as well "You're many things Hiccup, but dragon killer Isn't one of them" he turns away from Hiccup and walks through the crowd towards Gobber "make sure he gets home, I have his mess to clean up"

Gobber walks up to Hiccup and smacks him around the head and I decide to follow them, hearing the jeers from some of the teens mainly Snotface and his gang.

"Quite the performance" Samson remarks

"you wreck more than err...what are those wing things called again?" I hear Ugthug ask

"Dragons you idiot!" I shout out

"yeah whatever at least he's not the worst thing to live in the village, that position is still Useless here" Snotlout remarks gesturing to Hiccup making his gang laugh

"good one my future chief" Angelica compliments making feel ill.

But not before I get angry.

I quickly kick Snotlout, Ugthug and Samson in their family jewels while giving Angelica a punch in the stomach since she has no jewels for me to kick.

I walk by with all four on the ground holding their injured body parts to which I see the twins and Fishlegs smile and give me a quick thumbs up. I smile and chase after Hiccup and Gobber who are talking now the crowds has dispersed.

"I really did hit one Gobber" I hear hiccup say to Gobber

"sure ye did" He replies back to Hiccup

Hiccup stops "He just never listens!"

Gobber scratches his chin as he replies back "well it runs in the family"

Hiccup carries on "and when he does, it's always with this...disappointed scowl, like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich"

Oh boy I know when the way he stands like that, he's going to an impression of his dad, I got to admit, he's very good at it.

"Excuse me, barmaid! I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring! I ordered an extra-large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side. This here, this is a talking fish-bone!" he finishes with his head hanging low, I can't take it now I rush up to him, punch his right shoulder "ow!" I hear him shout before engulfing him in a hug.

"you're not a fishbone Hiccup, you're just not built like other" I say to him not letting go of him and leaving Gobber speechless.

"But I barely have any muscles" he remarks which earns him another punch.

"you have very strong muscles right here" I reply tapping his head"and don't you forget it. To which he smiles and hugs me back "thank milady" and I start to smile.

Gobber finally picks his jaw off the floor as he shrugs and taps us on our combined shoulders "well I'll leave ye two love birds alone, I nee te be at a meetin anyway, don do anythin stupid while I'm gone" and with that he hobbles away leave me and Hiccup alone before I decide to head off too.

"well I'll see you later babe" I say to him as I kiss his cheek goodbye, and with that, he heads into him house.

But before I could walk away, I hear a bang like a door opening and shutting, I quickly look round the house to see Hiccup heading towards the forest. I wonder where he's going?

And then it hits me.

The Night Fury!

I decide to follow him quietly to see if he need's help.

**The Great Hall Stoick POV**

What a way to begin a morning, I wonder who is worse, the dragons or Hiccup.

Well one way or another these raids have to stop or I might lose my son like I lost my wife.

'Lets get this over with' I think to myself as look toward the men and women in the hall.

"Okay I'm going to come straight to the point, these raids are killing us and I can't stand it any more, either we finish them, or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home! One more search, before the ice sets in."

Some Viking protest "Those ships never come back!" I should f guessed they'd say that.

"we're Vikings! it's an occupational hazard! So who's with me!?"

Not a single hand goes up okay now to threaten.

"okay...those who stay can look after Hiccup" I finish off saying.

Suddenly all hands go up,ouch that hurts, was my son so bad that they'd rather take death by sea than look after Hiccup?.

"that's what I thought, prepare the ships!" and with that the hall is empty except for me and Gobber who was finishing his drink before getting up.

"right best pack my undies" he says but I stop him.

"no Gobber I want you to stay and rain new recruits" I say putting my hand on his shoulder.

"oh ay leave me the dirty work while ye lot have fun findin the nest, well atleast Hiccup will have time te make some more inventions to occupy his time" he replies trying to finish the rest of his drink only for him to lose his stone tooth in th mug.

I however sit down near him sighing "what am I going to do with him Gobber"

"put 'im in dragon training with the others Stoick" he replies to me, he must be drunk.

"no, I'm serious Gobber!" I say to him

"So am I!" he replies back

"He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage!" I remark.

"ye don't know that"

"I do know that!"

"no ye don't"

"yes I do"

"no! ye don't!"

Pinching the bridge of my nose I speak once again "Listen, you know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been... different. He doesn't listen, he has the attention span of a sparrow... I take him fishing and he goes hunting for, for trolls!".

Now Gobber starts getting frustrated "Trolls exist! They steal your socks. But only the left ones. What's with that?".

I sigh "when I was a boy" I start saying hearing Gobber mumble "oh here we go again" but I carry on "...my father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it! I thought I was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?".

"ye got a headache?" he say's with a deadpanned voice while he tries to fish out his tooth from his mug.

"no! That rock split in two! It taught me what a Viking can do, Gobber, he can, he can crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become... Hiccup is not that boy" I finish off sighing.

"I kno that Stoick, ye know that Hiccup tried that same trick?" Gobber asks me.

I was shocked, Hiccup banged his head against a rock? I never knew that so I shook my head "well ye know wha happened next?" he asks me.

"the rock split in two?" I said with hope in my voice.

"no, he got a headache" he replies back but doesn't finish there "but it gave 'im an idea, an he made a pickaxe, went back and split it then, ye boys doesn' face problems with strength, he uses his brain Stoick so if anythin ye can listen to him on what he wants te do. I mean ye can't stop 'im Stoick he's gonna get out there, in fact he might be out there right now".

**In the Forest Hiccups POV**

Two hours, two bloody hours I've been search for this blasted dragon as I scribble out another area I've check. Frustrated I scribble the whole map and put my book back in my jacket.

"oh the Gods must hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug... No, not me, I manage to lose an entire dragon!" I say to no one in particular as I whack a nearby branch for it to retaliate and whack me back. "ouch!" I shout.

But stop when what I see before me is a wreck, like someone or something crashed though here.

I follow the carnage of broken trees as I come across a boulder, but what I see over the boulder surprised me.

It was a dragon.

A black dragon.

A black dragon tied up in bolas.

My bolas.

Wait, it's the Night Fury.

I jump up and down with excitement that I did something right "Oh, wow... I-I did it! Oh, I did it! This, this fixes everything! *Yes*! I have brought down this mighty beast...!" but was cut off when the dragon started moving as I put my foot upon it.

It was still alive?

I look from its tail to it's torso, to its wing then finally to it's head with it's eye's staring at me looking right at me but doesn't move.

This is still my chance, I pull the trgger on my armbands releasing my scimitars holding them out ready to strike. "I'm gonna kill you dragon. I'm gonna... I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a Viking!" I say breathing heavily wait why am I breathing like I'm panicking? This beast should be panicking not me!.

I ready my scimitars again but shakily this time.

But this time I look into the dragons eye's and I see something as it widens its eye's...fear.

Wait fear, that can't be right but then it does something that surprised me even more, it closed it's eyes and laid back accepting it's fate.

Ready to strike but then I look at the frightened Night Fury and to my scimitars and I fall to my knee near in tears at what I was about to do "I did this...".

As my style I do something stupid and then something crazy, I slash the ropes with my blade, freeing the Night Fury, but I don't notice it open it's eye's and it pouncing on me, oh Gods it's going to kill me.

Forest green eye's meets forest green eye's, even it they're dragonic, like in my dreams. But I'll worry about that in the afterlife as I'll be there very soon.

**Astrid POV**

Oh gods what did that idiot of a boyfriend of mine do, he had the dragon in the palm of his hands and ready to strike, but he freed it and now he's going to pay. I can't watch but I have to so I'll remember what dragon I need to avenge Hiccup with.

*ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!*

What?

I don't get it, it just roared and ran off.

But thank the gods, my Hiccup is still alive.

Now I can kill him.

I jump out of my hiding place rush up to Hiccup and punch him in the arm hard.

"ow! Astrid why!?" I hear him shout.

"that's for scaring me Hiccup!, you could of been killed!" I shout back at him startling him.

"but I'm still alive" I hear him mumble.

I decide to grab his shoulders as I start to calm down "Hiccup, you had it trapped, you could of killed it. Why didn't you?" I say looking into his eye's I see curiosity.

"I-I'm sorry Astrid I just couldn't" he say looking down at his feet.

I wasn't buying that "that's not an answer" crossing my arms.

He starts getting frustrated, I can tell when he scrunches up his eye's "I swear we said this last year..." he says to me but waves his hands in defeat "okay! So I wouldn't kill a dragon, three hundred years and I'm the first one to not slay one!" he finishes catching his breath hanging his head low, he must be thinking that I'm disappointed in him, like the rest of the village.

But he's wrong.

I gently grab hold of his shoulders again and smile at him "first one to take down a Night Fury, that's pretty impressive" he looks at me and gives me a sad smile.

Lifting his head up he carries on "I looked into his eye's, and I saw that he was frightened as I was, I saw myself in those eye's Astrid, that's why i couldn't kill him".

So that's why he let it go. Not because he was a afraid for himself, but more for the dragon.

Okay that's a whole new sign of something stupid and crazy combined.

But it got me thinking.

Why didn't it kill Hiccup when it had the chance to?

Shaking my head to put that though at the back of my mind, because I just realised that tomorrow, us teens are starting dragon training tomorrow, how will Hiccup cope after this?

"Hiccup, what are you going to do about tomorrow? Dragon training starts tomorrow" I ask him, like always he'll come up with something.

He sigh as he looks at me but smiles "well it's clear from this I can't kill dragons, I'll just tell my dad, hopefully he might listen, pah! yeah right and you have more of a chance of kissing Snotlout" he replies back.

Okay that this punch is one he definitely deserves.

*WHACK!*

"OW!" he shouts holding his right arm.

"THAT Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is for even saying something that disgusting" I shout to him shuddering at that thought "now I'm going to have nightmares for weeks, unless..." I say giving him an evil grin.

He looks nervous "err un-unless what?".

I give him only a few words "...unless you cure me" before I tackle him to the ground with my lips pressed against his as I grab his ass...

**One make out session later (no not sex to the dirty minded one's :P) Hiccup POV**

Woah talk about a cure, both sets of cheeks feel numb after that as I stagger out of the forest and towards my house, Astrid already gone home after that, big smile upon her face. But it was nice to have her in my arms as we made out, it should give me the courage to face my dad.

As I open the door to my house, speak of the devil, he's sat there in his chair looking at a map, must be another nest search before the ice sets.

Well I got to admit, he's determined.

Well heres my chance to tell him.

"err dad, c-can I talk to you" I say to him nervously as he looks up

"I wanted to have a word with you too Hiccup" he replies back

Then like the stubborn idiots we are we both decide to speak.

"I think its time you learn to fight dragons"

"I've decided I don't want to fight dragons"

"what" We both say at the same time

"you go first" I tell him

"no, no son, I need to learn to listen, you go first" he replies back, shocking me a bit.

Shaking my head I come back to my senses as I say what I needed to say.

"dad I realised I can't kill dragons, you're right, I'm not a dragon killer, but I need to find who I am and at the moment dragon killing isn't one of them"

My dad looked surprised at first because for last few years all I kept saying was that I want to kill dragon but now I don't.

"I mean I'm good at blacksmithing, with a couple of more winters I'll be fully trained and be able to help the village that way" I finish off hoping no shouting comes from all this.

For once the gods cut me a little slack as I see a smile forming on my dads face.

"well I can't argue with that, from what Gobber told me, you do a fine job with that, okay son you get your wish, however while we're away, I want you to help Gobber with the new recruits, I know you have read the book of dragons more time than the Ingerman boy" he says to me patting my shoulders with his shovels for hands.

Wait, help Gobber with dragon training? Well could be worse.

He walks away toward a large sack upon the floor picks it up and walks towards the door, "okay I'll be back...probably" In a dull tone.

I reply back in the same tone "and I'll be here...maybe"

With a nod he walks out the the door and slams it shut.

"well that well" I say to myself as I sit by the fire, thinking about what a morning it's been.

Tomorrows going to be a very very interesting day.


	8. Chapter 8 Dragons always go for the kill

**I'm back, long weekend I had, works christmas party saturday night and was completely hung over sunday but got a good amount of this done, just to keep you on the update, I'm still doing brother nightfury but not as much as this, there are so many ideas for this one I can't resist it. Anyway this was going to be longer than the last chapter however if I did that then this wouldn't have been up till next christmas lol. Anyway dragon training time while I sip my coffee. And before you ask no I'm not sharing my coffee :P**

**Chapter 8: Dragons always go for the kill**

**Normal POV**

"No turning back now" Astrid says while walking into the killing arena with the other teens.

"yeah I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut follows on as he joins his fellow teens looking around the arena wall and chained roof.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like, on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut says pointing to one of her shoulders then her lower back to show where she would have a mauling.

"Yeah only fun if you get a scar out of it" Astrid replies looking impressed.

"Oh yeah pain, love it" Hiccup responds sarcastically knowing that every Viking dreams of having a scar to prove their toughness.

Whereas Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs all didn't mind Hiccup being there, Snotlout and his gang didn't.

"Oh great who let the runt in here?" Snotlout shouts out as he points towards Hiccup who at the moment is carrying in a several shields, unbeknownst to the others Astrid was giving several expressions at once:

Anger towards Snotlout for calling Hiccup a runt.

Impressed that Hiccup can carry that many heavy shields at once.

'Guess all that training paid off' she thinks to herself.

And finally obsession for looking at Hiccup's bu...

"and why is the runt carrying those shields in the first place?" Snotlout continues break Astrids stare at Hiccup, blushing a little hoping no one saw.

Hiccup, being the witty kind of thinker he is, gives a pretend surprised look at Snotlout before speaking.

"Oh these? In my arms? of I forgot to tell you I'm going to use them to fly around here" he said to Snotlout, dripping with so much sarcasm in that one sentence you could drown in it.

As Hiccup places the shields down in certain areas of the ring he speaks out with only two words "you'll see" turning towards Astrid with an evil grin.

Astrid knew why he was grinning, they being trained by Gobber and after the things Hiccup told her, one phrase came to mind.

"learning on the job"

After that, she grinned knowing what to prepare for.

"ok new recruits welcome ta dragon training!" Gobber shouts out as he hobbles into the arena standing next to the teens "now are there any question?".

Snotlout step forward feeling smug about what he had to say "yeah I got one, why is useless here? I mean come one he won't last a few minutes!", he says to the group to which his gang applaud him for.

The others however, were not impressed.

especially Gobber and Astrid.

As Astrid glared daggers at Snotlout, Gobber decided to walk up to the idiot and smack him around the head 'gods help if he ever became chief' Gobber thought to himself before speaking towards everyone in the ring.

"Fer ye information Jorgenson, Hiccup turned down dragon training to help me out..." but stopped before turning to Hiccup and giving him a sly wink "and be ye teacher too".

This shut up the once goby Snotlout realising that Hiccup and Gobber were in charge of them.

"Carrying on, the recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village" Gobber says as he points toward the rattling doors of the Monstrous Nightmare.

"Firepower fifteen" Fishlegs starts rambling on.

"Bu before tha ye must ge acquainted wit the other dragons we have..." stops and points towards Hiccup to name the other dragons as Fishlegs blurts out the stats.

"The Deadly Nadder..."

"Speed eight, armour sixteen..."

"The Hideous Zippleback..."

"Plus eleven stealth, times two..."

"The Terrible Terror..."

"Attack eight, venom twelve..."

"will you stop that!" Gobber shouts getting annoyed.

Hiccup walks toward the last door and says "And we have the Gronkle" before backing towards Gobber who at the point has his hook on the lever of the Gronkle cell.

"Jaw strength eight." Fishlegs finally finishes but like the other teens see where Gobber was and panicked a bit.

"Hold on your not going to train us?" Snotlout protests.

Gobber looks at Snotlout then towards Hiccup "care ta tell what my motto is Hiccup?" he says with a grin and Hiccup returned it back before looking at the teens.

"his motto is 'learning on the job'" he says before backing away as the Gronkle bashes through the unlocked doors and towards a pile of rocks, eating them .

"Today is about survival. If ye get hit ye dead so quick! whats the first thing ye need?" Gobber blurts out as the teens look around at the Gronkle in panic.

"A doctor?" Tuffnut blurts out

"Plus five speed?" Fishlegs nervously

"A shield!" Astrid confidently shouts as she dashes for the nearest one.

"Good one Astrid, a shield! Go!" Gobber shouts as the other teen scramble around the ring for shields Hiccup placed on the floor.

The other teens quickly gather a shield each except for the twins who decided to want the same shield, even though there were plenty all over the floor.

"Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut yells at his twin.

"There's like a million shield!" Ruffnut yells back

"Look take that one, It has a flower on it. Girls like flowers" he said point at a shield with a pink flower on it.

Ruffnut responds by pulling the shield out of her brother's hand and bashes him over the head with it. "oops! Now this one has blood on it"

The Gronkle sick of the twins arguing decided to blast the shield out of her hand.

After that they ran off into a corner as Gobber shouts "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, ye out!".

"now all dragons have a limited shot limit, how many does a Gronkle have?" Gobber asks the remaining teens.

"five?" Snotlout says

"no, six!" Fishlegs corrects

"correct Fishle..." Gobber suddenly stopped talking when the Gronkle got in front of Fishlegs and stared at him.

Next thing you know, Fishlegs dropped the shield and ran away screaming towards the gate.

"I guess he's out too" Hiccup said to Gobber who decided to face palm himself.

"I guess ye right" Gobber said in a deadpanned voice before turning back to the remaining teens.

"now the best now tha ye got ye shields, make lot's of noise, keep the beast out of focus" Gobber shouts as the remaining teens bang their weapon against their shield causing the Gronkle to lose focus on its target.

Snotlout however decided that was the time to flirt with Astrid.

"you know, I just moved into my parent's basement, you should totally come by and workout some time, you look like you do" I think at that point Astrid nearly threw up just by the sound of his voice.

That was until the Gronkle decided it didn't like the sound of his voice either as it fired three shot towards Snotlout and his gang who for some reason didn't spread out but stayed close to Snotlout.

When all three shots found the teens shields, they all ran out but not before anciently running into Astrid who at the time was focusing on the dragon, knocking both her axe and shield across the other side the arena floor, leaving her defenseless and trapped as the gronkle ready to blast her with its final shot.

"ASTRID!"

Hiccup panics, runs towards Astrid picking up a shield along the way.

Whereas the others were looking at the Gronkle charging up its blast, they don't see the panick in Astrids eye's.

Hiccup however did.

The Gronkles blast at full charge it starts to release it, Gobber notices Hiccup running towards Astrid and panics for both.

"HICCUP! ASTRID!" he shouts but it's too late.

The Gronkle fires.

Dust from the floor rises everywhere, clouding everyone's vision.

Except the two teens and the dragon, who starts staring at the boy who ran towards this girl ready to defend her, and successfully did, even though the shield is now splinters, the shield took most of the blast, only knock the couple back a few inches.

But whats caught the Gronkles attention was the boy's eye's.

Forest green, a look that has not been seen before since the dragon got captured thirteen years ago when it saw it in the eye's of one other dragon.

The night fury.

Even smelling that dragon on the boy too, but not blood.

But before the dragon could think any further a hook grabs the side of its mouth, twirling it around to look at the blond moustached man with the hook arm.

"alright you're all spent, now go back ta bed ye overgrown sausage!" Gobber shouts as he throws the dragon back into its cell before locking the door.

Everyone looks at the two teens on the floor, Hiccup still in defense mode with the broken shield in his left arm while his right is holding Astrid who had her face buried in his chest.

All were gobsmacked.

Well when I say all, I really meant Snotlout and his cronies.

Gobber gave a thumbs up to the couple.

Tuffnut and Fishlegs just shrugged like they were expecting it.

But Ruffnut was smirking in triumph, like she won something, I wonder what she was thinking?

**Astrid POV**

I can't believe what just happened.

One minute I was standing my ground with my axe and shield in my hands, the next those idiots run into me knocking my weapons out of my hands leaving me defenseless while this Gronkle still had one shot left.

One shot aimed for me.

I closed my eye's waiting for fire and pain, even death.

But it didn't come.

The blast came, I heard it but nothing.

No fire, no pain and I feel alive.

I decide to open my eye's and I can't believe what I was seeing now.

Hiccup crouched in front of me holding whats left of a shield in his left hand while his right arm was holding me.

He saved me.

He was willing to risk his life so I wouldn't get hurt.

That Idiot.

My idiot.

I didn't care who was looking at this point, I buried my face in his chest, let them stare.

Then I half-heartily start banging my fists Hiccups chest "you idiot Hiccup! You could have gotten killed!" I mumbled as my face was still in his chest, but if I knew Hiccup, he's smiling now.

I punch his right shoulder as I do usually "that's for risking your life!"

I then gently grab his face, making him look at me and I plant a quick but passionate kiss on his lips, like I said I don't care who's looking now.

"and that was for everything else" I said in a loving tone making his smile go to it's more goofy look, the one I love the most out of all his smiles.

*COUGH*

I look towards Gobber who trying to get everyone's attention.

"right lad's an lasses here's one lesson yer all been taught today an that is if yer got a choice between a bladed or blunt weapon an a shield, always go fer the shield, bes weapon in any situation" Gobber said to the class while pointing towards me and Hiccup who was still holding the broken shield.

Fishlegs and the twins nodded in agreement to what Gobber said after witnessing firsthand at how a shield saved me and Hiccup.

The others weren't even bothering to acknowledge what Gobber said, if I know them they'll still pick any other weapon than the shield, like I said before, idiots.

Snotlout however was looking but he was looking at Hiccup, daggers in his eye's. He still thinks he has any chance with me.

Hell no, even if I wasn't in love with Hiccup I still wouldn't go out with him.

Gobber saw Snotlout glaring at Hiccup and if I know him, especially with that evil grin on his face, he'll teach them a lesson.

"Hiccup, while we're all ere why don' ya give yer view on what the others did wrong" Gobber said gesturing towards Hiccup then the other.

Now for the fun part.

**Hiccup POV**

Smiling, I stood up and looked at all the teens in the ring pointing at each one as I told them on what they did wrong.

"Hmm lets start with Fishlegs. Your knowledge on dragons is good, however you ran away screaming as soon as it came face to face with you, you need to learn to be braver and face the physical stuff head on"

"Ruff and Tuff, I know they say two heads are better than one but so are two shields, squabbling over then same shield when there are plenty to go around causes distractions which would leave you vulnerable to attack from both man and beast"

"Astrid, not many bad things to say about you when it comes to defense and concentration on your target, but saying that, concentrating on that one target leaves the focus of what might be coming the other way, leaving you to get knocked down by some idiot..."

I didn't want to sound harsh especially to Astrid but I needed to give them pointer on what needed to be said.

But my main rant is the four sniggering in the corner, that is until I gestured to them

"or should I say, Idiots!" that shut them up

"Ugthug that shield is used for defense and offense, not to scratch your bum with, respect the weapon in your hands as it would save your life one day!"

"Samson, hiding behind the weapons rack won't keep you safe, and neither will hiding behind others either!"

"Angelica, you weren't even focused at all, all you were doing was ogling Snotlout, concentrate, and the same goes for you too Snotlout! Chatting up Astrid did you no favors since the Gronkle knocked your shield out with ease, in fact all four of you shouldn't have been huddled together like that when unprepared, but running around like lunatics knocking everybody and everything in your way is a good way of getting someone killed! and nearly did!"

Taking a deep breath I finally calm down, but I wondered where that voice came from?

Meh I'll figure it out later.

"well apart from all that it was a good first lesson, back to you Gobber" I say to him who looked a little taken back most likely wondering the same as me at what happened.

**Normal POV**

Everyone in the ring looked shock at how Hiccup had the courage to point out their mistakes.

Astrid, Fishlegs and the twin took Hiccups words about them seriously and knew he was right.

The other teens however just looked shock at what was he said about them, but took no notice, after all in their minds Hiccup was still useless and anything he said wasn't worth taking in.

Gobber knew Hiccup was right too but was amazed at how confident he did it. Shaking his head he walked back into the centre of the ring to address everyone.

"right, thank ye Hiccup, valid points there fer ye all te think about, bu before we finish for today, a little tip a reminder to go by, dragons always, always go fer the kill" and with that everyone started heading out of the arena and back to the village.

Well except Hiccup and Astrid who were thinking about what Gobber just said.

Astrid looked at Hiccup knowing what he was thinking.

"I know what you're thinking babe, and I just thought about it too" Astrid said to Hiccup as she put her hand on top of his shoulder.

Hiccup looked at her and gave her a confused look before answering.

"it shouldn't make sense though, the Night fury didn't kill me even though they say it's the most deadliest dragon around and even that Gronkle stopped after it looked at me" He said to her who was shocked at the Gronkle bit, after all she didn't see that since her face was in his chest.

She looked at him and gave a warm smile "so what are you going to do now?"

Hiccup looked around while doing hand gestures before answering.

"well something stupid"

Astrid smirked "you already did that" she said pointing at the broken shield on the floor.

Hiccup thought about before smiling "then something crazy" he said running out of the ring.

"that's more the Hiccup I know" she said before running after him.

**An hour later in the forest Hiccup POV**

"hmm, so why didn't you kill me?" I said picking up the damaged bola as I look around where the Night fury crashed, hoping to spot it, but to no luck.

Lucky enough that Astrid followed me.

"hey Astrid, how have your tracking skills doing?" I said to her remember what she told me about her and Alfsted going on hunting days once a month, and him teaching her how to track animals.

She looked kind of confused at first but smile as she caught on what I was implying "they're quite well" she said as she crouched down to where the Night fury crashed, looking for any sort of clue about where it went.

After several minutes she stood up and point in the direction it went in, that way looked familiar I thought to myself as we walked in that direction hoping to find more clues about where that dragon went.

After several minutes of walking we stopped as we came to a familiar opening.

"the cove!" we both said at the same time, kind of weird that, cute, but weird.

Taking a risk I decide to go in first hoping that dragon hasn't destroyed mine and Astirds special place.

To my relief nothing had been touched since we were last there, the training dummies still laid out in line, mine and Astrids training gear, heh funny how these weight straps help build the strength I needed to speed up my swordsman's skills, even the camp fire and our shelter I built three months ago haven't been tampered with.

So the biggest question remained.

Where is the Night fury?

Suddenly a black blur flew over our heads as it crashed on the other side of the cove.

It's the Night fury!

"we need to get to higher ground" I said to Astrid as I point up to one of the tall rocks near us.

She look confused but shrugged and nodded as we started to climb.

From here we could see the whole of the cove, it looks even more amazing the higher up you go, it makes me wonder what amazing view we could have if we could go higher, maybe even fly.

Well that was a stupid thought, I mean come on, a Viking? Flying? never happen not as long as I have two legs.

But back to the matter at hand, the Night fury seems to be trying to escape the cove, but not fly out, more of clawing its way up the sides.

I take this opportunity to get out my sketchbook and start to carefully draw the dragon as it attempts to try to escape.

"that's strange" I say out loud.

Astrid upon hearing me say that looks at me and ask's "what's strange?".

"if it wants to leave then why doesn't it fly out?" I ask her, who starts to understand what I mean when we look at the Night fury again.

After several more failed attempts at escaping the Night fury finally gives up and stumbles towards the lake, sticking its head in as it tries to grab a fish and fail at that too before giving up and collapsing on the ground.

Thats when I noticed it.

"Astrid look" I say pointing at the dragons tailfins, or should I say tailfin.

Astrid spots it too and is surprised as me at that.

Where the left tailfin is suppose to be is missing.

I wonder if that's the reason it can't fly.

Looking at my drawing of the Night fury, I decide to rub out the left tailfin too.

Then Loki decided to have a laugh at me as my pencil rolls off the rock me and Astrid were on and fall down to the ground making a noise as it hit.

unfortunately the Night fury saw heard it too and looked right at us, looking into those forest green eye's again, but didn't make a move for us, it just slumped back down and fell asleep.

Me and Astrid thought now would be the best time to leave.

And not a moment too soon as it starts to rain.

Perfect, the gods must really hate me today.

**Astrid POV**

As both me and Hiccup run through the forest to head back to the village, two thought came to mind about what we discovered:

One, taking down a certain part of a dragon makes it unable to fly

And two, those dragons eye's if it weren't for the fact that they were dragonic I would have sworn it was Hiccup looking at me.

That last one was very strange, I'll have to find out more about it later.

As we finally made it back to the village, the rain pours harder as we head to the great hall.

By the time we get into their we both look like drowned yaks as I squeeze my hair dry before me and Hiccup heading towards the teens and Gobber.

Remembering what happened today in dragon training how the others saw me kiss Hiccup, nows my chance to show them that we are a couple as I take hold of Hiccups left hand in my right and we walk slowly towards the table.

As usual a few glares from Snotlouts gang and a well angry Snotlout to boot.

Best thing when you can really piss him off.

The others however were, smiling, Ruffnut more than the others.

Sitting down next her I decide to ask her why.

"hey Ruff, can I ask why you were smirking back at the arena and you lot seem to be smiling here too, is there something I need to know?" I asked her trying not to sound intimidating.

Then Ruff starts to laugh before standing up and sliding in between me and Hiccup before patting us on our back.

"maybe it's something you two need to know" she says looking at me the Hiccup "we know".

"know what?" I questioned her getting really frustrated.

"that you two have been a couple for a while now" Ruff said still with that smirk on her face "and I won the bet".

That last sentence confused me, Hiccup looked confused too.

"what bet?" I ask

This it was Fishlegs turn to talk "w-well you see we knew something was going on between you two for a while but we didn't know if you were a couple or not s-so we made a bet. Tuffnut betted you're not a couple till after dragon training was done" he said pointing at the make twin who at that point was trying to pick his brain out with a wooden spoon "I bet that you only became a couple only recently and Ruff here bet that you've been a couple after you kicked Snotlout in the err...how to say it..." Fishlegs never likes to swear or say too many rude words so I wasn't surprised when Tuffnut spoke up.

"..In the bollocks!" Tuffnut charmly said earning himself a smack round the head by his twin who climbed over the table just to do that.

"Tuff don't be such an impolite arsehole!" Ruff shouted, wow talk about pot calling the kettle black.

Fishlegs, after taking his hand away from his face after he smacked it carried on "anyway, we didn't know when it happened until we ask Gobber just after training and he told us then" he finished by chucking a gold coin towards Ruff who caught it in mid-air.

So these guys betted if were a couple yet? What is with these guys?

Then Ruff nudged into me to get my attention.

"between you and me Astrid, Hiccup is kind of hot, even if he is thinner than most guys" she said to me leaving me to blush.

We were interrupted, thank Thor, by Gobber who was holding a large book in his hand as he gets our attention.

"alright ye lot as well as the physical side of dragon killing, ye must learn the in's an out's of the dragons, an no Ugthug that does not mean cutting them open to look inside them" Gobber said glaring at the dimwitted teen in question.

"now in this book ye will learn all there is ta know about dragons" he carried on putting the book in question on the table "The dragon manual, everything ya need to know about them is in this book".

*Thunder rumble*

"no attacks tonight. study up" he said as he walks towards the doors leaving behind the others who were moaning.

"wait, you mean read?" Tuffnut protested

"while we're still alive?" Followed by Ruffnut

But as usual Snotface had to be the one to protest more "Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?"

I was just about to give him a piece of my mind when suddenly

"because if you don't know what they're going to do to you by reading up on them, you'd have thirty three percent chance of survival, for example there's this water dragon that can shoot boiling water at your face and another dragon that can bury itself for weeks. And that's all in the book, trust me I read it like seven time now" Fishlegs said to Snotlout, Odin's beard since when did he grow a pair?

"Yeah if there was any chance I was going to read that...but no" Samson butted in before walking off with a frustrated Snotlout in toe followed by the others in their gang.

The twins decided to take Fishlegs home who by now was frozen in place realising what he just did.

All that was left was me and Hiccup, who at this point decided to place the dragon manual in front of him.

I decided to join him, sitting next to him as close as I can without jumping into his lap.

Although that might not be such a bad idea.

"right babe what you looking for in there?" I asked him knowing he's looked through that book dozens of times.

"just keeping myself updated on how Viking describe dragon's" he replies back as he starts scrolling through certain words "Dragon classifications. Strength Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class. Thunderdrum: This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight".

"wow sounds pleasent" I said sarcastically, wow I'm even starting to sound like him. I look at a description myself "Timberjack: This gigantic creature has razor-sharp wings that can slice through full-grown trees. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight".

This carries on for several pages each one the same pattern.

Gronkles, Zippleback, the Skrill... Boneknapper... Whispering Death... Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims, turns its victims inside-out... Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous... kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight.

Then suddenly...

"aha!" I hear Hiccup shout as he turned the page to one particular as he carries on reading "Night Fury. Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: hide and pray it does not find you".

This page was the only different because there nothing on the Night fury in particular, no drawing, no mention of shot limits, no weaknesses, nothing!

"so babe, we're the first to actually seen one close up, not even Bork the Bold has never seen one, that could make history" I say to him smiling to which he smiles back before taking out his sketchbook to the page he drew the dragon on before turn to a whole new drawing I never saw before.

One where the Night fury was staring at us, remembering those eye's.

*Thunder claps, lightning flashes*


	9. Chapter 9 I think we bonded

**Well here we are at chapter 9. Surprised myself at how far I got with this story, and yet I'm not at the main parts yet. But for now here's the last chapter before Christmas, well I should say Snoggletog since we're all HTTYD fans. I say last chapter before then is because I'll be concentrating on work till the new year. And I'll let you lads and lasses in on a little secret, as well as the festive season, it's also my Birthday on Thursday. If that clue still baffles you here's another, the guy who was born on the same day as me (I said day not year, I'm not that old :P) was rumoured to turn water into wine. And with that I bid you all a happy holidays for whichever religion you're with. **

**Chapter 9 I think we just bonded**

**Hiccup POV**

"so Gobber I was looking through the dragon manual last night and it didn't mention much about Night furies in it" I ask him as we were getting the arena set up for todays lesson, which involved a maze.

Which meant big wooden walls that required two men to lift.

Or in this case one and a half.

Okay okay one and a quarter men in my case.

Gobber only looked at me as we were lifting up one of the walls into the arena.

"ay lad no one has ever seen a Night fury an lived ta tell the tale, now shut up an give me a hand wit these damned thing!" Gobber replied looking a little frustrated non of the remaining men on the island could help.

Alfsted for one since he was in charge until Stoick was back.

Well better choice than my uncle Spitelout who when was last put in charge tried to solve the food problem by plant fish into the ground and waiting for them to grow.

Seriously? I think Gothi, our high elder and healer, should check his head to see if any things in there.

But anyway back to the matter at hand as I struggle to lift my end of the wall up, but just about get there.

"so...nothing on Night furies...whatsoever?...not even in Borks notes?" I ask trying to hold my own as the weight of the wall is quite heavy, can't believe I've done this all morning.

Gobber, who had no problem lifting his end of the wall, just shrugged and answered my question "no lad, Bork never saw a Night fury ever in his life, most likely cause the book was last updated by me an that update was the Night fury itself over four winters ago"

'so not even Bork the Bold never saw one either, interesting' I thought to myself as we placed the last wall into place.

And just in time too, as I look towards the gate of the ring to see the others entering in.

Including a smiling Astrid who walk towards me.

"hey babe" she says before coming up to hug me.

Too bad I was a bit sweaty.

"ew Hiccup why you all wet?" she ask's wiping my sweat of her arms.

I just gave a dull look and gestured to the walls, which she looked.

"okay point taken" she said as she shrugged.

I look to my left and my right making sure no one can hear us as I gesture her closer to me "just to let you know this challenge involves the Nadder" I whisper to her, It's not technically cheating but I'd rather have her be prepared, kind of like our training days.

She smiled and nodded in response understanding what I mean.

"right ye lot! Today, as ye'll have noticed the walls in ere, well ye'll see soon enough" Gobber shouts as he holds one of the levers from above the ring.

Oh Thors thundery shite!

He's about to open up the Nadder cell.

And I'm still in the ring!

I quickly go to pick up my practise swords (I was training early that morning) from the wall and rush to gate before it shut.

At least the gods were on my side again as the gates slam shut as I exited.

Catching my breath as I slowly walk towards Gobber giving him a glare to which he looks back.

"what?" he questions shrugging.

"really? you could have warned me!" I shouted.

"meh, more fun this way, plus I kept ye on ya feet" Gobber replied back to which I gave up and looked towards the others in the ring running away from the Nadder released.

I got to say, that Nadder's does look beautiful, with its blue and yellow scales.

I think it reminds me of a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed girlfriend of mine.

Strange how I just complimented a dragon, our sworn enemy.

I shook that thought at the back of my head as I hear Gobber shout out todays lesson plan.

"now today we learn abou speed. The Deadly Nadder is fast and agile on its feet, you need to be more faster and agile to survive" Gobber shouts out as Fishlegs runs into view.

"you know I beginning to question your teaching methods" Fishlegs shouts back.

"trust me Legs try working in the forge with him, I still back away from him when he holds his hammer!" I shout back at Fishlegs who looked confused but ran off when the Nadder came close.

Gobber however looked at me "yer not gonna let that one slide arn't ya?" he said in a deadpanned voice.

I glared at him again "when your own method of teaching me safety in the forge by loosening your hammer-head and letting it fly out of its handle and towards my head, then no".

Rubbing my head I look towards the ring where the teens were trying to dodge the spines "remember the Nadders spine are poisonous and could kill you within minutes" I shouted out remembering the Information in the manual on Nadders.

"and why should we listen to you useless?" shouted Snotlout as a spine flies past him.

"it's in the book stupid!" I hear Astrid shout back at him getting annoyed with him already.

Nothing new really.

"look fer the blind spot, all dragons have one, find it and stay in it" Gobber shouts out just as the twins come face to face with the Nadder.

Luckily found its blind spot.

Unluckily they're the twins so a fight usually broke out between them.

"ugh don't you ever bathe?" I hear Ruffnut shout to her brother while both try to stay i the Nadders blind spot.

"well if you don't like it then why don't you get your own blind spot" Tuffnut shouts back at her.

They clash their helmets together causing the horns to tangle with the others "how about I give you a blind spot instead!?" Ruffnut shouts back glaring at Tuffnut before both turn and look at the dragon in front of them as it starts to blow fire in their direction causing them to run out-of-the-way.

"blind spot yes..." I said face palming myself.

"deaf spot? mmm not so much" Gobber finished before laughing.

I remove my hand just in time to see Astrid hiding behind one of the walls in front of the Nadder, going unnoticed.

Until of course Snotlout and crew rushed to the same wall knock Astrid forward exposing herself to the dragon which spotted her straight away.

"stand back babe let me handle this" Snotlout shouts as he barges Astrid out-of-the-way and throws his hammer at the Nadder, missing completely, making the dragon laugh.

I didn't know dragons could laugh.

Snotlout however shrugs "what? the sun was in my eye's Astrid. What you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that if you want me to" he says to Astrid who by this point is getting annoyed with him.

"yeah Snotlout could block out the sun..." I whisper to Gobber before smirking "with his fat head" causing Gobber to laugh.

And then it happened.

Ugthug and Samson ran away bashing right into Fishlegs causing him to knock into Astrid and the twins as they all his against the wall, making a lot of noise which caught the attention of the Nadder as the others run out of the ring.

Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins however were still dazed and defenseless.

I sigh to myself thinking this is absolutely stupid.

But I can't let them get killed.

And with that I run out, swords in hand, towards the ring gate.

I need to get the Nadders attention while the others recover.

Okay I seem to have a stupid crazy moment coming again, good thing no one's writing all the time I did that.

(A/N Oh Hiccup, you have no idea :P)

"hey! Over here! A talking fish bone!" I shout out.

seriously? this is stupid and crazy even for me?

But it worked, the Nadders facing me.

**Nadder POV**

What a bloody day, I was hoping to preen my scales today, instead I playing chase the Viking again.

Then two identical humans arguing in front of me, yeah like that'll not ge my attention.

Followed by a complete idiot throwing a blunt weapon at me, and missed. Okay I laughed at that one.

Although the Human net to him was kind of pretty with those blue eye's the same colour as my scales. Well not as pretty as me.

And now I have another human shouting at me as I was walking towards some of the dazed humans, hoping to scare them a bit so they leave me alone.

But this human, thin, very thin.

Most humans around here are big and fat, I don't know why they're complaining about the raiders stealing food.

But this human, this human fascinates me.

I decide to investigate further.

Then I notice he's holding two sharp sticks, ok what are they called? Oh yeah swords.

But the strange thing is, looking at his stance, he's not on the attack if it goes by how we dragons stand.

More of defense.

Very curious, not seen that before in a human.

I look up towards the humans head, or more precisely, the eye's.

Greens eye's.

Just like the one's Gronkle told me about after her conflict.

Just like the Night furies.

Of course for me I wouldn't know being stuck in that cell for most of my life.

But I can't stop looking at his eye's.

They're amazing.

Then I see him turn his eye's towards my cell, I then realise he wants me to go back in there.

I wonder if...

*Whack!*

**Astrid POV**

I can't believe it he saved me again.

Looking around I realised he saved us.

That stupid boyfriend of mine.

But what I saw was the Nadder heading towards Hiccup, but not attacking.

By the way it walked, I'm guessing it was curious.

That is a crazy thought.

But thinking back to the Night fury and the Gronkle, they were curious too.

Now I'm curious.

But that'll have to wait as I see Snotface throw a shield at the dragon, with a lot of force before he decided to run out of the ring leaving Hiccup with the nadder again.

Really he did all that to make the Nadder angry.

He was going to try to get Hiccup killed!

**Hiccup POV**

Oh gods that idiot cousin, was he trying to get me killed?

Of course he was, he wants to be chief, he always wanted to.

But I'll get to him later, first I needed to stop this Nadder from getting too angry.

Too much thoughts in my head.

I can't deal with all this.

And I feel it.

Anger.

Raging anger I never felt before.

Gobber always said that if I feel like that, just let it out.

And that's exactly what I did.

"GET BACK IN YOUR CELL! NOW!" I shouted with so much force the Nadder even flinched before running back to its cell.

That's one problem sorted out, now the next as I turn towards the stunned Snotlout and his crew before Astrid could get to them first.

Who at them moment was stunned by my shouting too.

"IS THIS SOME KIND OF A JOKE TO YOU!? THEY COULD OF BEEN KILLED!" I shouted at them pointing towards Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins, who were all watching me, mouths wide open in shock.

"I COULD OF BEEN KILLED! LEARN TO RESPECT YOUR FELLOW VIKINGS OR JUMP OFF A CLIFF!" I finally shouted throwing one of my swords to the lever of the Nadders cell, locking it up.

Taking a deep breath, I walk towards my sword and pull it out before leaving the stunned teens in the ring.

**Later on at Hiccups house**

After that little explosion in the ring I decided to head home to calm myself by drawing, it always calms me down.

The feelings I put into each sketch makes me feel like no one can judge me, after all, the only other things near me with a face are inanimate and can't hurt me.

After what seemed like forever I decided to look down at what I drew, and something that I wasn't expecting.

It was the Night fury.

Looking down at it sparked my curiosity to find out more.

I have to find out more.

But I can't go empty-handed, maybe something like a peace-offering.

But what do you give the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself?

Remembering back to when I last saw it, dunking its head in the lake.

It looked weak.

It looked hungry.

And then it hit me.

A fish!

With that thought in my mind I decide to grab a fish from the barrel downstairs and my dagger just in case.

I open the front door and run out towards the forest.

**Astrid POV**

After giving Snotface the beating of a lifetime for his stupid action, I decide to let Hiccup cool off before seeing him.

I've never ever seen him that mad before ever.

it kind of scared me to think how angry he could get if pushed too far.

Gods help the next person who pisses him off like that.

As I was about to go to Hiccups house, thinking he would be in there, I see him running out towards the forest.

With a fish in his hand?

Wait...he wouldn't? Would he?

After seeing him with the fish I decide I'd best bring one too, just in case, as I follow him to the cove.

**Later at the cove**

Upon getting there I look around for that boy of mine.

Finally spotting him, I also see the Night fury in front of him, looking curious at him.

Or more precisely what was in his jacket.

Hiccup spots this and produces his dagger.

But shocks me when he drops it on the ground before kicking it into the lake.

Stupid boy, he's going to get himself killed!

But before I could get my axe ready I look at the Night fury strangely.

It's not attacking.

In fact it's eye's have gone from narrow slits to fully round as it looks at the fish.

Looks kind of cute that way.

Wait did I just say cute?

'Keep it together Hofferson' I think to myself while watching the scene play out.

"huh? Toothless? I could have sworn you had..." I hear Hiccup say as the dragon opened its mouth revealing just gums.

Suddenly sharp teeth pop out from its gums and took the fish out of Hiccups hands leaving him stunned "..teeth?" he finally finished off.

Now the Night fury was purring?

I didn't know dragons could purr?

But then I was shocked to find out dragons can laugh too.

"err, err sorry that's all the fish I had" I hear Hiccup say to the dragon as he back away only to be stopped by a rock.

Again fearing for Hiccup as I get my axe only to stop watching the dragon doing spasm movements with its throat before regurgitating half the fish it just ate into Hiccups lap.

I watch as the dragon decide to sit on hind legs like we would when we're sitting down.

It kept looking down at the half eaten fish then at Hiccup over and over again until I realise what it wanted him to do.

unfortunately Hiccup knew too.

'oh babe don't do it, please don't eat the...' I think to myself.

Too late, he took a bite out of the fish.

I copied Hiccups disgusted look as he swallowed it.

Remind myself to not kiss him till he washes his mouth out.

Hiccup after nearly throwing up the fish he just swallowed gives the Night fury a toothy smile.

Strangely enough, the Night fury copied him giving Hiccup a toothless smile.

Now what's Hiccup doing now?

Is he trying to touch the dragon?

panicking, hoping he doesn't lose his hand, I grip hold of my axe handle just to be ready.

But the dragon sensed this too and its eye's went back to narrow slits and growling before running off to the other side of the cove to what looks like a scorched patch of ground.

I wonder how that happened?

I got my answer when the dragon blasted the ground before laying on it.

You'd of thought at this point Hiccup would have decided to leave.

Well...you'd be wrong as I watch him head towards the beast.

I watch him as he sits down on the ground next to it watching it curiously.

The dragon however didn't want to be seen so hides it face with its tail.

I wonder what's going through my boyfriend's head at the moment?

**Hiccup POV**

Well I'm still alive so I don't think it wants to hurt me.

But I still want to look at its tail fin, I feel kind of guilty that it was me who ripped it off.

However as I was about to touch it, the dragon closes its other tail fin and looks at me.

i think I'll leave it alone.

But I'm not leaving yet so decide to walk back to my usual spot near the lake, a spot where I usually sit when I want to think about things or want to draw what's on my mind.

And my mind was on Toothless.

Toothless? Did I just name that Night fury Toothless?

Wierd but kind of suits him.

Okay now I'm freaking myself out now.

Not only have I named the Night fury Toothless but now I think it's a boy dragon too.

This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

then something suddenly grabs hold of my shoulders making me jump.

"ah!" I scream before turning around at who my attacker was, only to be confronted by ocean blue eye's.

"surprised babe?" Astrid asks me as I calm down and smile before wondering what she was doing here.

"a little milady, what brings you here?" I reply back as I ask her a question too.

"same as you Hiccup, curiosity" she replies back before looking at the Night fury.

I look at Toothless and back at Astrid who smiled at me before sitting in my lap, looking at the ground at what I've drawn.

It was Toothless.

"you know babe, you never cease to amaze me with how well you can draw just by looking once" she says to me while still watching me work the finally detail of the Night furies eye's.

Unbeknownst to us that a curious Night fury was behind us looking at me draw too.

But as I turn around he was gone, then I heard something snap as I look around to where the noise came from only to be surprised.

The dragon was holding a small tree in his mouth as he dragged the end of it into the ground, like it was drawing.

Astrid backed away as Toothless drew around me, smacking me with the leaf end of the tree several times before finally stopping to admire his work.

I looked down at it too, seems strange someone copying what I was doing.

Especially a dragon.

I best move so I can see it from a better view.

But as I step on one line he growls at me as his pupils narrow, he looks like he's about to strike.

I remove my foot from the line, he stop growling and his pupils dilate again.

Now curiosity gets the better of me again.

Foot on line, angry Night fury

Foot off line, calm Night fury

Foot on line, angry Night fury

Foot off line, calm Night fury

Smiling at what I found out, I start stepping over the lines as start to move around the drawing in a sort of dance.

'This is kind of fun' I think to myself as I make my way towards one of the edges of the drawing until.

*thud*

I hit something hard, scaly and warm, looking up I see the Night fury looking at me.

I turn around as it stands on all four legs again still looking at me.

I go to touch him again but he growls a little at me.

I look at Astrid who looks both curious and worried.

I take my chance.

I look away out of respect as I lift my right arm out open palmed, waiting for the enviable.

Suddenly a kind of shock goes through my body, but it felt right for some reason.

Next I feel warm vibrating scales on the palm of my hand. Turning around to look at the source only to see something amazing.

The Night fury let me touch him.

But not for long as he, and the strangest thing about that is I felt he is a 'he', opens his eye's which were dilated before narrowing and running off again.

"wow" was all I could say.

"Hiccup?" Astrid said as she got close to me "what just happened?" she asked me as I turned around to her.

"I don't know if this sounds strange or not but..." I paused looking down at my right hand "but I think I just bonded with him".

Astrid looked confused "him?" she asked.

I responded by point at the black figure sleeping upside down in a nearby tree.

"How do you know it's a he Hiccup, did you check under its tail for a..." I stopped her there knowing where she was going with this.

"no Astrid! That kind of disturbing that!" I said as she just laughed.

But it wasn't that just laughed, I could hear a low growling noise that sounded like laughter coming in the direction of the black figure in the tree.

"okay this day getting way too interesting now, lets just head back home before we're missed" I say to Astrid breaking the silence of the cove.

Shaking her head she nods as we both head out of the cove but not before dropping the fish she had in her hand onto the floor.

"what? It was my peace-offering to him, you just got there first" she said with a smirk.

I give her a half-smile "you know you're picking up some of my traits milady" I say to her as she gives me a deadpan look.

"gee Hiccup I never noticed" she said sarcastically before she started laughing.

Yep I'm rubbing off on her.

"right let's go babe, Gobber wants us all at the north side watch tower tonight" she says to me as she takes my hand and we walk out of the cove and through the forest toward the village.

**Later that night, Northern watch tower Normal POV**

Hiccup and Astrid make it up the tower just in time for Gobber to finish off with his story of how he lost his arm and leg.

"Ah so nice of ye two lovebirds ta join us, now where was I?" Gobber said as Hiccup and Astrid sat down in the empty seats grabbing hold of some of the cooked fish from the fire in the centre.

"oh oh, you were at the part where you confront the Nightmare" Fishleg informed him.

"ah yes thank Fishlegs, anyway, with one twist, he took my hand and swallowed it whole. And I saw the look on his face. I was delicious! He must have passed the word, because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg!" Gobber finished with showing the teens his wooden leg.

Most awed at the sight of it. It's not hard to tell that its like a badge of honor to lose a limb while fighting so most were impressed.

"wow" Fishlegs said after looking at the leg "Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon? Like if your mind was still in control of it, you could have killed that dragon from the inside, by... crushing its heart, or something".

Snotlout was angry, not by Gobber losing limbs but because he got a black eye and a fat lip by Astrid that morning but covered it up to avoid embarrassment "I swear, I'm so angry right now! I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight... with my face!" he say while biting his cooked chicken.

His gang looked impressed, the others, not so much they knew he was being a kiss ass.

Gobber took no notice as he ripped off the wings off his chicken before speaking "Uh-uh-uh, no. It's the wings an the tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon... is a dead dragon" he said before eating the chicken wings he ripped off.

Everyone look fascinated except for Hiccup and Astrid who looked at each other before getting up, bidding everyone goodnight and heading down the tower.

They bother had the same thought.

Toothless!

"Astrid, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hiccup asked her hoping she had the same idea.

Thankfully she did "yeah, we need to get him back in the air as soon as we can, but how?" she say's hoping for some answer to come to her.

Luckily Hiccup had the answer as he takes out his sketchbook and looks at the drawing of toothless' tail fin before smiling "I tell you how milady, we're going to make a new tail fin for him" he said with a determined smile on his face.

Astrid smiles at him as he runs to the forge "now there's my crazily smart boyfriend" she says to herself as she runs after him.

She know when he's determined about something he'll do it till it works.


	10. Chapter 10 The eel effect

**What Up from the big S in the United Kingdom, now I know I said chapter 9 was the last one till after Christmas but as a present for all my readers out there (those who like me are drunk on real ale lol) and as an early birthday present for me (wanna know my age? look at the number at the end of my user) now I wanted to add a few things in this that will contribute to future chapters so if some might be wondering why I went down that path because its the path I'm travelling on. So sit back enjoy.**

**Chapter 10 The eel effect**

**Astrid POV**

I feel bad that I can't help Hiccup with much in the forge, besides handing him tool and bits of metal, hell I can't even draw as good as him.

Saying that, no one can draw as good as him.

However Hiccup know I can't but he say's he enjoys the company from me knowing that he can impress me with his smithing.

And boy can he.

And I got to admit I'm enjoying the view of him working.

Especially as he took off his vest to to avoid it catching fire, that plus it does get hot in the forge.

But coming out of my trace of staring at his bare back, a question plagued my mind on what he was designing.

"er Hiccup, how are you going to make a new tail fin? Don't you need to measure Toothless for that?" I asked him as he turned around and smiled.

"I remembered the size of his other fin, by drawing from the same sort of distance I saw it at" he said as he close his eye while holding a pencil to a long piece of parchment "I can relive that moment very clearly and draw the length down for me to use as the design" and with that I saw what he meant by it as he drew a long line before moving it away causing curved ones that attached to it doing it several time until it looked like a skeleton of the exact tail fin.

I was taken aback to that, I know he was smart but no one can be that smart "but how can you remember it?" I had to ask.

He kept that smile as he was taking some bolt out of an old shield "I actually the same way I made your axe, you ever noticed how the head and handle are a perfect weight for you?" he asked as I nodded "same with this, I don't know how I manage to do it but when I see it, I see it like its right there in front of me right now" he finishes as he starts hammering away at the bolts trying to change their shapes.

I smile as I sit there watching him work before looking outside of the window next to me admiring the stars wondering what it would be like to touch them.

My concentration on the night sky was interrupted by a small figure walking towards the forge.

As they got nearer to the forge light I recognise the figure to be young Gustav Larson.

"Good evening Miss Hofferson" he said waving to me.

I was kind of taken back by how polite he was being, for a little while since he was four or five, he strive to be just like Snotlout, even wear the same clothes and helmet as him.

But looking at him closer he seemed..well different.

A lot different if you ask me.

Instead of the muddy grey shirt, black vest and ram horned helmet he usually worn.

Like I said he wanted to be like Snotlout.

He was wearing what looked like a light green long shirt, brown vest and even his helmet was just a point horned one.

He looked like a miniature Hiccup.

Oops best answer back don't want him to think I'm rude.

"good evening Gustav, what brings you round here at this time of night?" I reply back .

He shuffles his feet as he looks up at me "well er I came to see if Hiccup was in, he promised me I could look at a certain book he got from trader Johan last time he was here" he replied back.

'A book?' I thought to myself, I thought only a few Vikings on this island could read.

I shrug my shoulders at this thought as I turn my attention towards Hiccup who was working on the last bolt shaping it into some miniature balls.

"hey Hiccup? Gustavs here for a book you promised him" I said to him after he put his hammer down.

He turned around and looked at me then at Gustav who was in the doorway "oh yeah, I remember now, I'll be right back" he said as he goes to the back room of the forge before emerging out again with a large leather bound book in his arms.

He walks up towards Gustav and gently hand him the book "here you go Gustav, I finished reading it so take as much time as you like with it, it should help with your lessons" he says to Gustav as he lets go of the book making sure Gustav has got firm grip on it.

"thanks Hiccup, I'll see you around both of you" Gustav says as he runs back off into the direction he came from.

Confused at what just happened I turn to Hiccup and confront him"what was that about babe?" I ask him hoping to know why Gustav wanted a book from him in the first place.

He sighs at me knowing I won't let it go till he tells me "Astrid can you keep this a secret please, if not for me then for Gustav?" he asks me looking into my eye's as I nod.

Smiling he carries on speaking "okay well, I've been tutoring young Gustav to read, write and learn numbers for the past year".

I got to say it kind of surprised me that but it did make me wonder now why when he wasn't with me or in the forge what he would be doing with that spare time. Now it made sense.

"but why Gustav?" I had to ask again.

He shrugged before answering "I don't know really, maybe because he was like me at that age, I tried to use one of other Vikings here as a role model but was always pushed aside for being a...well runt" he said as he gestured to himself, earning him a punch from me.

"you're not a runt Hiccup! And remember that!" I say to him as he rubs his arm.

"okay fair enough, but I knew his role model was Snotlout, well that was until you showed him what could happen to an ass if they messed with you" he says with a smirk remembering what I told him about Snotlout and that kick to his groin making me smirk now he made me remember "well I saw him one day looking down with his helmet off his head, so I go over and ask him what's up. He told me, no one wants to be near him because they called him a runt. Being in that same boat, I felt bad for him, but as I had no positive role model growing up to, I didn't want him to suffer the same fate as me, so I offered to help train the muscle in his head" he said tapping the side of his head "and he took to it easily, but not just me that's been helping him, Fishlegs took the opportunity to train the young mind too but looking at him right now, he seems to turn into a little me" he said as he chuckles "looks like I'll have competition with you milady".

To which I chuckle "oh no two smart boys after a young shield maidens heart, oh what will I do?" I said with a sort of damsel-in-distress tone of voice pretending to swoon before Hiccup ran up and caught me in his arms.

Hiccup playing along started to sound like his dad which was pretty good "oh fear not young maiden for I the most muscular and powerful Viking in the whole of Berk will win ya affection with my mighty hammmmmaa..." he said holding up a large war hammer over his head before realising it was too heavy for him causing him to fall to the floor.

"...er" he groaned but started to pout as he looks at me.

I was on the floor laughing my butt off at what he did, I can hardly breathe as all the air was concentrating on laughing too hard.

Wiping the tears away I finally sit up watching him attaching the final rod to the fin.

"oh Hiccup, I tell you if you don't make a good Viking you'll do great as a jester" I say as the air comes back into my lungs.

"ha ha milady" he said sticking his tongue out at me before turning around to the tail fin as he attaches the leather to the rods, examining it carefully before showing me "what do you think?" he asks me as I stand back up.

It still amazes me how he managed to make that, to me it looks like the other tail fin except brown because of the leather.

"wow" was all I can say before Hiccup smiled at me.

"well lets us grab a basket of fish before we head to the cove" he said with a yawn to which I yawned back.

"lets do it in the morning babe, it has been a long day" I say to him as I feel tired.

But as we move out feet we realise we're too tired to move too far.

The only option was to spend the night in the back room.

In the same bed as Hiccup.

We both must of thought the same thing as we both blush.

"well er, it's not like we haven't fallen asleep in each others arms before" I interject as he started to look nervous.

He looks at me "yeah but not in the same bed" he replies back rubbing the back of his neck.

"but I trust you Hiccup to not take advantage of me" I say with a smile on my face.

He starts to smirk "oh I'm not worried about that, I worried that you'll take advantage of all..this" he said gesturing to himself.

Damn he knows me too well.

I grab his leather apron that he still had on and drag him to the back room "well you'll just have to risk it babe" I say with an evil grin on my face. He knows I wouldn't do that to him but I love to tease him.

And he likes it too.

**Gobber POV**

Well that was a weird night, not only did Hiccup and Astrid run off without me noticing but Tuffnut tried to show the class a so called "birthmark" on his butt yeah right. I know a tattoo when I see one and I don't think his mum's gonna be pleased to know .

Speaking of Hiccup and Astrid where did them two go?

As I look around the village with the only sign of life was young Gustav running home carrying a large book.

Hmm strange that? I could of sword he looked just like Hiccup then.

Nah must be the night air playing tricks on me.

However looking in the direction of where Gustav came from I spot the forge as the fires start to dim.

Someone's been there not too long ago.

So I go to investigate further as I hobble along towards the forge.

But as I get there I see that it's completely empty except for a brown vest and green shirt.

Hiccup's definitely been here he only takes his shirt off if he's working hard in the forge.

But that means if his shirts still here then he must be in the back room asleep, like always.

As I peak my head through the doorway of the back room I can help but chuckle.

Cause what I see on the bed is not only Hiccup who by the way is wearing his leather apron still.

But Astrid, fully clothed minus her armour, cuddling up next to him on the bed.

"Oh ho ho ho" I laugh quietly so's not to wake them "I'm gonna enjoy teasing Hiccup about this one fer months".

I decide to leave the young smiling couple to sleep.

But as I walk over to the table nearest to the window, I spot a familiar figure approaching the forge, looking a little worried.

The blond hair and braided beard of Alfsted Hofferson, blowing around in the breeze as he enters the forge.

"err good evening Gobber" he says to me.

"err good evenin Alf, what brings ye here at this time o night?" I ask him as he looks like he's searching around for something.

Or should I say someone.

"I'm looking for Astrid Gobber, have you seen her? She hasn't been home for most of the day and I'm starting to worry" he says to me, I see the look of fear in his eye's.

Even though he knows Astrid can look after herself, she's still his baby girl.

Feeling its best to ease the blond Vikings mind, I put my right hand on his shoulder and walk him to the back room "no need ta worry Alf, she's safe but whatever ye do, don' jump ta conclusions" I ask him as he starts to look confused.

As we enter the doorway of the back room I point him towards the bed where the two teens are sleeping.

At this point I see the look of shock on his face as he see's his daughter cuddling up to Hiccup.

But what I didn't expect next was him laughing.

Now I'm confused, if it was me in his shoes and I saw my daughter in bed with a boy, i would of hit the roof and carved the boy with an axe.

So why was he laughing?

As we leave them to be and head back into the main room, he finally calms down before answering me.

"sorry Gobber I couldn't help it, it's just I was thinking how fun it would be to tease them two for weeks on end about this" he tells me, still leaving me confused.

"so ye arn't mad that she's in bed with Hiccup?" I ask him as he looks at me but still with a smile on his face.

"no I'm not mad with the boy Gobber, I trust him to not take any sort of advantage of Astrid" he says looking back in the room to the sleeping couple "I've come to know the boy very well this past year. Even if his inventions are weird. I see how happy he makes my little warrior" he said before frowning and looking at me "you know Gobber I actually feared for my daughter for a few years now, ever since my brother self banished himself from the island after the flightmare she took it the hardest out of all of us, she'd shut everyone out, never showed emotions except anger, she even stopped talking to us, her parents. Both me and Helga were scared that she'll want to live her life of nothing but battling before she ends up in vahalla one day, never knowing what happiness feels like".

I remember that too and all what he said was true.

Then I see him smile again at me "and then Hiccup comes along again, making her that axe, when I found out it was him, I thought he just wanted err, how to put it, 'play' with her, if you knwo what I mean" he said to me and I realised what he said before nodding "but as I looked into his eye's as he told me all he wanted from making that axe was for Astrid to remember him, even be friends with him again, he never expected her to fall in love with him, but I'm glad she did, for what me and Helga have been discussing with Stoick before he left, would be a lot more easier to explain to her why we did it" he looked down at the ground at what he said "I hope she still won't hate me for it".

Know what he was on about I patted him on the shoulder before smiling "well why don't ya tell her tomorrow tonight, ye know if ya leave it too long she'll hate ya fer not telling her sooner" I said to him as he looks uo at me smiling.

"yeah, you're right Gobber she does deserve to know, I'll tell her then" he said as he walks towards the doorway before turning to look at me "thanks Gobber" he said before waving at me and heading off for home.

At this point I decide to hit the hay too as tomorrow the teens move on to the bigger boys.

The Hideous Zippleback

**Next morning at the cove Hiccup POV**

"ohhh Toothless" I shout with a hint of singing in my voice to which I hear giggling Astrid behind me.

As I look around I spot the black dragon coming bounding up to me looking happy to see me.

Well that's interesting that he's happy to see me.

Although it could be the basket of fish I brought him while Astrid the tail fin for me.

"all right bud chow down" I say to him as I kick the basket over spilling out it contents of fish "ok that's disgusting" but no matter, if it helps distrat Toothless while I attempt to attach this thing on then I'm willing to stomach it.

Providing of course he doesn't try to regurgitate another one up for me.

"okay we have some salmon, some icelandic cod and a whole smoked eel" I said to him as he backs away from the basket at the mention of 'eel'.

Looking curious as to why he backed away I go to the basket and pick out the eel showing it to Toothless.

He shrieked in terror at the sight of it.

"hey hey bud its okay look" I reassure him as I throw the eel in to the lake "I don't like eels either".

With that he slowly goes back to the basket to sniff it.

Convinced there;s no more eels he starts to eat the fish as I head round the back of Toothless with Astrid in tow who handed me the fin.

As I attempt to put the prophetic tail fin in line with his real on, to no success, he just wont hold still, Astrid watches in amusement at me failing to attach the fin on and interest at how the design of it.

To be honest, without getting a big head about it, I'm impressed with myself.

Just wish he would hold still for a second.

Just as I'm about to get it in position, his tail moves forward as he sticks his head in the basket for more fish.

I was starting to lose my patience so decide to try a different angle and clamp on his tail so I can hold it still while I attach it.

Finally after several tries I did it.

As I admire my work I don't notice Astrid looking behind me looking scared, until it was too late.

"Astrid what's upaaaaahhhhhhh..." I shouted as I hold on to dear life as Toothless decided to take off and fly.

But the tail fin was closed so he's going to fall.

Well here's seeing if works, learning on the job as Gobber would say.

I pull the artificial tail fin open making Toothless rise higher into the air.

'Yes! It works!' I think to myself as I copy what the other tail fin does so Toothless can fly in the direction he wants to go.

After we fly back to the cove and over the lake I couldn't contain myself.

"WooHoo yeah baby!" I yell out happily.

But Toothless had other ideas, he flung me off his tail so I fell in the water.

*SPLASH!*

But what Toothless failed to realise was because I wasn't controlling the fin, it shut back up making him crash into the water too.

Normally if I was thrown into the water I would be angry, but how could I when one of my inventions workd for the first time.

And I flew!

It was amazing!

"Yeah! Wow what a rush!" I shout as I break the surface of the water follow by Toothless who seemed as equally happy as I was.

Wow this dragon really does surprise me.

As I leave the water and head towards a still shocked Astrid.

I wave my hand over her face as to wake her from her trance.

"err hello Midgard to Astrid are you th..." I was cut short by a punch to the shoulder.

But before I could rub it I was tackle to the ground by the same blond-haired maiden who proceeded to kiss me all over my face before embracing me in a tight hug.

Too tight.

"Astrid...air...need to...breathe" I wheeze out as she lets go.

"you crazy crazy ass, stubborn headed..." she shouted to me while wearing her trademark scowl.

But it turned from a scowl to a warm smile as she carried on talking "..smart, wonderful and amazing son of a half-troll" she finished off before hugging me gently this time, stunning me.

She then looked into my eye's, ready to ask me a question I thought I'd never thought she'd ever say "what was it like? To fly I mean" she ask me as I look into her ocean blue eye, wow I could swim in them all day long until the day I drowned.

But shook my thought at the back of my head as I answer her question "I was... amazing Astrid! even if it only lasted a few minutes, it was amazing!" I said with an exited tone in my voice.

Astrid smiled at me as I said that, I know what she was thinking.

When we watched the stars at night she always said if one day we could go up there and touch them.

A thought that always crossed my mind and would love to do for her one day.

Maybe, just maybe with Toothless, we might.

**Several hours later at the arena**

As me and Astrid got to the ring where the others were, I noticed several buckets of water in the centre close to the confused teens.

"Oh no I hope its not Gobbers annual wash again?" I groaned as Astrid tried to hold back a laugh.

"no ye cheeky git!" Gobber says as he smacks me around the head, ok ok I deserved that one...mostly.

"Today's lesson involves team work in which Hiccup I'll be placing ye in charge of Astrid, Fishlegs an the twins while I have the other" Gobber said and sighed afterwards "lucky me" he said sarcastically.

I must be rubbing off on him.

I shrugged as I turn my attention to my err...well lets say team as I have no idea what to come up with.

"All right trainees today's dragon is the Hideous Zippleback" Gobber informs the teens as he gestures towards the Zippleback cage "now can anyone tell me abou the Zippleback before we start" he asks as he looks around.

Surprisingly Snotlout raises its hands "easy, its a dragon duh!" he says looking smug.

"I knew it was too good to think highly of him" I said as I smack my head in a faceplam.

Suddenly I hear the same smacking sound behind me, and as I turn around I see Astrid, Fishlegs and the Twins face palm themselves.

Gobber however just rolled his eye's "Ok? Now can I get an answer from someone who isn't a complete idiot?" he said looking around.

No one this time put their hand up.

Not even Fishlegs.

'now I know he knows the answer' I think to myself as I walk close to him and decide to elbow him in the ribs to get him going.

"Hideous Zippleback, two-headed dragon of the fear class range, with Attack twelve, speed ten, armour te..." he blursts out before I stop him.

"Fishlegs! He only wants the basics, not the stats ok?" I say to him as I put a hand on his shoulder.

He breathes in and nods at me before carrying on "ok two heads, one releases gas while the other can ignite it".

"correct Fishlegs. Tha's right, one head releases gas while the other ignites it, yer lesson today is ta figure out which one is which, hence the buckets" Gobber said gesturing to the buckets on the floor.

"now in yer teams pick two teens te take on the zippleback" Gobber finished as he walked away as I turn to the others.

"okay who's going to go?" I say as I turn to the others.

Astrid I know would in a heartbeat, she love's challenges.

The twins were...well fighting with the spare buckets, maybe Tuffnut should of said his sister's butt looks big.

Which left only fishlegs.

Giving both Astrid and Fishlegs their buckets, I watch in worry as the cage door opens and the whole ring fills up with gas making visibility poor.

Although I can't see a thing I can hear and what I heard was interesting.

*Girly Scream!*

Okay I know for a fact that's not Astrid, so I guess it was Angelica who screamed.

Nope I was wrong.

From out of the fog came Snotlout running out of the ring like a bat out of hell with the bucket on his head.

I don't know how I managed to hold in the laughter, but it wasn't easy. Next came Ugthug with his hand stuck in his bucket.

I don;t want to know how he managed to do that.

Next I hear the swishing of a tail and two sets of thuds as I'm assuming Astrid and Fishlegs got tripped.

My fear was realised when their buckets rolled out of the fog without their owners.

Quickly looking in my jacket pocket, I spot the one thing I picked up from the cove that might help out here as I run into the fog followed by Gobbers voice.

"Hiccup!"

But I ignore it, looking around for the two people I needed to see.

I eventually spot them.

Fishlegs on the floor in terror while Astrid is up in defense trying to keep hold of her axe, but even I can see she's done something to her wrist.

Quick as I can I stand in front of Astrid (I got to say this is becoming a habit in the rescuing department) as I look at the Zippleback head while producing my secret weapon.

The smoked eel from the cove.

I was planning on chucking it away after the lesson but now I'm glad I have it as I see the Zippleback back away in fear of it.

"now back, I'm warning you, get back in your cell and think about what you done" I shout as the fog cleared and everyone can see what I was doing.

As soon as the Zippleback was back in its cell, I looked to see if anyone can see what I was doing before putting the eel back in one pocket and out of the other produce two fish to which I chucked at each head.

But as I was closing the door I notice the Zippleback were looking into my eye's.

What is it with these dragons and my eye's?

Not thinking too much into it, I finally close the door.

Only to have everyone look at me like I just turned into a Zippleback.

Most open and closing their mouths.

That reminds me, I better bring Toothless some more icelandic cod the next time I see him.

The only person that wasn't shocked was Astrid, who only crossed her arms and smirked at me.

Of course she knew what I did, she's about as smart as me for Thors sake.

Well I think she is anyway.

"well I er better get going now and do some...stuff" I said as I left the still shocked Vikings in the ring as Astrid followed me out.

As soon as we were out of earshot, Astrid decided to punch my shoulder.

"Ouch!" I shout rubbing it.

"I know what you did there, you used that eel trick on the Zipplebacks like it did with Toothless" she said with that smirk still on her face.

"yeah I know, I just wanted to see if it worked on not just Toothless but on other dragons as well" I said trying to look innocent as possible hoping for her not to punch me again.

I forgot the gods hate me as she delivers another punch to my shoulder.

"ouch! what was that one for?" I shouted again, gods she loves her voilence.

"that was for risking your life again, I swear you make it a habit of saving mine" she said, still with that smirk on her face.

Suddenly she grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me towards her as she plants a deep passionate kiss on my lip.

'I could definitely get used to this' as she departs from my lips leave me with a goofy smile on my face making her giggle.

"that was for everything else" she softly said as her blue eyes sparkled at me.

"well babe I'd best get home, I haven't been back since yesterday morning and my parent are probably worried sick, so I'll see you later Hiccup" she said as she pecks me on the nose before running off back to her house only for her to shout "you're amazing!".

Still standing there with a goofy smile still on my face as I watch my Valkyrie run off into the distance until an idea popped into my head.

Something that might help Toothless to fly again.

With this thought I quickly run off to the forge to work on the idea.

**Hofferson Manor Astrid POV**

I swear that boyfriend of mine get cuter every time he shows me that goofy smile of his.

But as I open the front door, I hope my parents won't be too angry I was out all night even though they know I can handle myself, they still worry.

After all its what parents do.

"Astrid" my father said who with my mother at the table "may we have a word with you?" he said sternly.

Shit I was in trouble.

I slowly nod as I make my way to the table and sit down.

"dad if this is because I was out all night I'm sorry but I was safe, I was with Hiccup and we were tired and..."but I was cut off by my father putting his hand up to stop me.

"I know about that Astrid, but that's not why we want a word with you" he said in a calming voice.

I sigh in relief, but if it was nothing to do with that then what?

"As you know Astrid my dear, you are nearly at the age of marrying, even though you'll not marry till you're at least sixteen, familes will be asking us for a marrage contract for your hand" my father said making me feel a little uneasy at what he was saying.

But I was my mother who scared me.

"and well Astrid my dear, we have accepted a contract with a very wealthy family who will see you off with a good life..." she said before I cut her off.

"What!? What do you mean you accept a contract!? Without consulting me!? What am I cattle!? I don't want to marry some creep from so family I might not know! Oh please say you didn't accept a contract from the Jorgenson's!? I don't want to marry that asshole Snotlout! I'd rather jump off the nearest cliff than have him anywhere near him!" I shouted at the top of my voice, how dare they sell me off to some stranger, I thought they loved me, I thought they cared for my opinion.

"Astrid dear please calm down and let us explain..." my father shouted trying calm the situation, yeah fight fire with fire that always works.

"Go to this family! Tell them you made a mistake and you're not ready for me to be engaged! Do something but please don't do this to me!" I shout as tear run down my face while breathing rapidly.

My father and mother look at each other before shugging "well, that's a shame then, I guess I'll have to talk to Stoick when he gets back" my father said with a sad look upon his face.

Now I'm confused, why does he have to have a word with the chief about this? "w-why do you need to speak to Stoick about this? Isn't it between the two familes of the contract?" I ask him as he looks at me before giving me a sly smile.

"well that's right my little warrior and that's why I need to talk to Stoick, since he's the head of the family I agreed the contract to" he finished off as both my parents smiled at me.

I myself was shocked at this "y-you mean I-I'm engaged t-to Hiccup?" I stuttered still can't believe this.

They both nodded as my mother spoke "you see Astrid yeah we were right about suitors wanting a marriage contract for you as soon as you turned fifteen so we and Stoick sat down to talk about it and we realised that you two are truly in love. We didn't want to ruin that my dear, you bring out the confidence in Hiccup whereas he brings out the true Astrid, the one who smiles and love every day like it was the last" she said as she approached me with tear in her eye's holding my hands "you two complete each other".

"and lets face it Astrid, Snotlout wouldn't last the wedding night the amount you despised him" my father said making me laugh with tear running down my face.

But they weren't tears of sadness.

But tears of joy.

"and as a added bonus, you don't have to marry straight away, only when you're both ready for it" my mother said gently putting her hand on my shoulder.

"although not too long. After all I do want grandchildren to bounce on my knee someday" my father said with a grin making me blush.

"dad!" I said with a smirk, I knew he would tease me till I give him a grandchild, well he'll have to wait till I'm good and ready.

Or until I finally jump Hiccup.

Speaking of Hiccup I want to go see him.

Once I've changed my clothes of course and had a bite to eat.

But not before rushing over to my parents to give them a hug.

I guess they do know whats best for me after all.

**Several Hours later Normal POV**

Astrid couldn't believe it as she walked (more like a skip) toward the forge. Her parents and Hiccups dad discussing a marital contract for them.

Even though she dedicated herself to being a warrior and only a warrior, that all changed when she finally let Hiccup back into her heart after so long.

And even though she was never into girlish sort of things like dream weddings and picking flowers, she felt as giddy as one about being a Haddock one day.

She knew Hiccup even now treats her like an equal and knows she is a shield maiden by heart.

She didn't realise she was staring at the boy in question until he came up to her waving his hand over her face.

"Hello, Midgard to Astrid Hofferson" he said trying to get her attention.

"oh, sorry just thinking" she said quickly making Hiccup confused.

"thinking about what?" he said to her while rising an eyebrow.

"just stuff" she said as she tries to change the subject "so...what you been working on while I was away?" she asked him quickly hoping that changing the subject to one of his inventions might make him forget.

Hiccup however will not forget but doesn't want to push Astrid into punching him again, so answers her question by showing her as he picks up a large odd shaped leather saddle.

Astrid looked confused "what happened to that saddle? Did Gobber sit on it or something?" she asked with a puzzled face.

Hiccup deadpanned her "really? you see this and think Gobber sat on it?" he said in a dull voice as Astrid shrugged.

Hiccup rolls his eye's as he carries on "this milady is the very first dragon saddle ever made on Berk, maybe even the Archipelago".

Astrid finally making sense of it gave a silent "oh" before speaking "so you made this why?".

Hiccup only smiled as he looked from Astrid to the saddle "Even though I made a new tail fin for Toothless I found one major flaw in its design. It need to be manually operated in order for him to fly. So with this" he said lifting up the saddle "and a bit of trail and error, we'll find a way" he said with determination.

Astrid looked puzzled "we?" she asked wondering what he meant.

Hiccup put down the saddle, walked up to her and held both her hands in his. And as he looked into her eye's as she in his, forest green meets ocean blue, he begins to speak to her in a serious tone "yes Astrid, we, we saw what Toothless is like, we both want him to fly and to be honest, I couldn't ask anyone better than you to be by my side through out all this, but I swear Astrid, if thing make a turn for the worse then..." he was cut off when Astrids finger gently made contact to his lips to silence him bfore speaking herself "..then we'll deal with it, together".

Hiccup gave a wide genuine smile as he moves his hands to her waist, bring her closer to him in a tight comforting hug.

The stood there holding each other with both smiling for the other before they simultaneously said only one word:

"together"

**I got to add long chapter this one. one of my longest yet. We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas now I'm going to have a beer. Wait that doesn't sound right. Ah well.**


	11. Chapter 11 Just hanging around

**Hi guys and gals thought I'd update on a chapter before the new year, and I'll be honest, this isn't my best chapter, at the moment I'm fighting off a cold and its being a git with me, but theres a bit of humour in this so hope it would make it up for some part. **

**I know some have commented saying about Snotlout being the main antagonist but, I'm going to break it to you that he isn't, if you remember with Hiccups dream a few chapters back then you'll know who it is.**

**Anyway hope you enjoy this and have nice new years eve night. Don't get too drunk, I won't I'm on the lemsip -.-***

**Chapter 11 Just Hanging Around**

**Astrid POV**

"Hey! Come back here you crazy reptile!" I hear Hiccup shout as he chases Toothless around the cove trying to put on the saddle while Toothless runs away in a playful manor.

Me? I'm sat cross-legged on a rock next to the lake enjoying the entertainment laughing every time Hiccup thinks he has the upper hand, Toothless decide to run the other way.

Suddenly laughing increased as Toothless yanks the saddle out of Hiccups hands before chasing him with the saddle in his mouth.

"Oh shit! No no no no no, don't you dare Toothless! Put down that saddle!" Hiccup shouts as he runs around from the black dragon.

But that didn't last long as Toothless pounces on top of Hiccup, pinning him to the ground and dropping the saddle onto his back with Toothless making a constant low growling noise that sounds like laughing.

Sufficed to say Hiccup was not amused.

Me however I laughing my ass off at it so hard that I leaned back too hard and fell into the lake.

*Splash!*

As I resurfaced and spat out the remaining water out of my mouth, all I could hear was Hiccup laughing this time.

**Hiccup POV**

Oh gods that was so funny when she fell into the lake and me and Toothless looked to see a wet Astrid surface with a stream of water coming out of her mouth.

"ha ha ha! I-I'm sorry Astrid..." I say trying to catch my breath for laughing too hard "b-but you got to admit that was funny. Ha ha ha yo-you look like a wet..." but before I could finish my sentence, something wet slapped me across the face.

As I look down to see something wet, scaly and wriggling about.

"..fish" I deadpan finally finishing my sentence before glaring at Astrid who was smirking in the lake.

"did you just slap me with a wet fish!?" I shouted at her as she gave me a sly smile.

"maybe. What are you going to do about it dragon boy?" she replied as she was still in the lake.

An evil grin came across my face as climb on the rock Astrid fell off and jumped in next to her splashing her with water.

**Toothless POV**

I got to say I like these humans, very entertaining.

Its strange because I was always told at such a young age that Vikings were bloodthirsty savages that will kill you on sight.

But these two, who if I'm correct are close to my age, have proved how wrong we were.

Now I'm just watching these two play in the water and do something I'm guessing that human mates do to show affection.

But two things plague my mind at this point in time.

One will this male human, that his mate calls Hiccup, get me back in the air. Although something deep down says to trust him.

And two what's taking these two so long to mate? I mean, I can tell these two were meant for each other, even their scent tells me that too.

*sigh* humans such complicated creatures.

**A hour of drying later Hiccup POV**

After drying off our clothes (and me blushing at seeing Astrid without most of her clothes on) and finally getting the saddle onto Toothless' back and strapping it on, I climb on top of him and adjust myself so I can feel if its comfortable or not in the saddle.

Finding a comfortable position I then look down at Toothless patting the side of his neck to get his attention.

"you comfortable bud?" I ask him hoping the saddle doesn't feel bad on him.

With a warble followed by a nod.

I took this as a good sign, after all, he's the one flying, I'm just the rider.

"Okay bud then lets test this out shall we?" I say holding onto a piece of rope that's attached to the artificial tail fin.

Like I said before, trial and error.

Astrid walks up to us before giving me a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the head for Toothless.

"good luck you two, and be careful up there" she tells us making me smile.

"I'm Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, its an occupational hazard" I say cheekily earning a punch in the shoulder for it.

That's when I took my cue to take off.

We flew around the lake a few time with me gently tugging onto the string to follow the movements of Toothless' real tail fin.

But as I saw how he was about to make a sharp turn, to which I stupidly copied the tail fin to do too, I suddenly find that as he turned left, I went right.

Straight into the water...again.

"this is going to be a long day" I say to myself as I resurface.

But after several tries, I gather all the information I need to improve the flying capabilities.

One using my hand to tug the rope leaves me unable to hang on to the saddle, thus throwing me off too easily.

And two nothing to keep me into the saddle full stop.

So after spending half the day learning all this out, me and Astrid head back and surprisingly enough she came up with the same things as I found out too.

"looks like you'll need something to keep you in the saddle Hiccup to stop you coming off too easily" she said to me which made me smile to think she was watching too and being there for me.

"yeah plus I need to use another part of my body to control the fin with" I reply back to Astrid who was lost in thought.

At that point so was I.

Until...

"Well what about yout leg babe?" she said as I thought about it.

And then I smiled again "milady, you are a genius!" I shout as crash my lips onto hers before running off to the forge to work on the improvements I needed leaving a dazed smiling Astrid where I left her.

**Astrid POV**

How in the nine realms does he do that?

He kisses me and I'm left stunned.

But saying that, he has the same reaction when I kiss him.

I shake my head, coming back into reality as I realise I'm by myself.

That's my Hiccup, when he has an idea he'll get it done.

Suddenly I see my father walking around with one of his hands on his head groaning like mad.

I decided to walk up to him, see if I can help.

"Hey dad, you don't look to good? Ruff day?" I ask him as he pulls me into a hug and smile.

"ay, Astrid, a long day today, had to settle a dispute with the twins after they blew up another chicken house, and they said Hiccup was destructive" he told me as he chuckled but stopped when I glared at him, he knows how mad I get at people for mentioning Hiccup 'destructive side' but I know he does it to tease me "ha ha don't worry my little warrior, it doesn't change how I feel for the lad. But anyway after I had to deal with Mildew complaining that the dragons and cats are ganging up against him" with that one I laughed realising why Mildew would say that.

Ever since Hiccup's flying feline of death with him a while back, he has been on edge about any cats near him.

Serves the old git right in my opinion.

But I came out of my thought as I saw my father frown as he carried on "but I forgot to do one stupid today. I forgot to assign someone to feed those dragons tonight and I can't think of who to help since they're all busy, including me" he finished rubbing his temple, I can see he was thinking what to do.

Suddenly it hit me and I smile.

"dad, why don't me, Hiccup and Fishleg's do it, it only takes one to feed them but there's three of us, so would be no problem" I ask him hoping he doesn't say no.

But as I see his smile I realises that he wasn't going to say that as he puts his hand on top of my shoulder.

"what did I do to deserve a great daughter like you" he said looking into my eye's "that would help me out greatly Astrid, just remember to be careful in there, all three of you" he said as he walk away to carry on with the other chiefing duties but a little happier knowing one problem was off his mind.

With that I run to look for Fishleg's to tell him about dragon feeding tonight. He might decline at first scared of the danger but if I throw in all the observing he can do on the dragons that will win him over in a heartbeat.

The question was, where was he?

An hour later

Okay I checked at his house, the great hall, the arena and even the library and still nothing.

This is getting me a little frustrated not knowing where he is.

I know I'll go to the forest and practise my axe swings, haven't done that by myself in a while.

Although sparring with Hiccup became enjoyable.

No matter, it'll help me calm down.

I head over to my house to grab my axe and head straight to the woods.

But as I get to the clearing, I spot something that at some point will give me nightmares tonight.

A bush, but what was sticking out of the bush was a great big arse, which means someone was hiding from something on the other side.

Then I realise that big arse belonged to non other that Fishlegs Ingerman himself.

But what was he hiding from?

Curiosity got the better of me and what I spot is a couple of Terrible Terrors playing about in the wild grass.

But from all this I could hear Fishleg's talking to himself

"Interesting"

"Fascinating"

"woooooow"

At this point I couldn't help but butt in just to scare the shit out of him.

"yeah, wait till you see them eat a fish" I said with a smirk knowing what's going to happen next.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Fishleg screamed in a high pitched squeal, scaring off the terrors as well as five rabbits twelve birds and I'm sure at the cove Toothless was wonder what the hell that was.

Me however was standing there arms folded trying not to laugh.

"A-Astrid w-w-what are you d-doing here?" Fishlegs stutters at me as he gathers himself after that scare.

Really? Axe in my hand and he asks that?

"well I decided to go on a picnic with my axe" I said sarcastically which earns a glare from him.

"I know you're here practising, but what are you doing in this part of the forest, I thought you practised in another part?" he replied back catching me off guard.

Quickly I think of something "just a change of scenery" I said before I realised why I was out here in the first place "well okay i was looking for you and since I couldn't find you I got frustrated" I say as I sigh in defeat, okay I'm picking up quite a lot of Hiccups traits now.

Now it was Fishlegs turn to be caught off guard "m-me? why?" he ask as remember what I needed to say to him.

"well my dad forgot to assign someone to feed the dragons tonight, so I volunteered me you and Hiccup to do it tonight" I say to him as he looks wide-eyed at me in panick.

"W-what!? what do you mean feed the dragons!? are you crazy!?" he blurted out trying to get me angry.

He was close, very close.

But I guess hanging with Hiccup for so long has made me...cunning.

"oh okay Fishlegs, no problem, I just thought that you'd enjoy observing the dragons, seeing how they react, you know like those Terrors you were so enjoyably looking at" I said with a sly smile "ah well, I guess me and Hiccup will have to see them" I finished off walking before I hear him shout back.

"Wait!"

I stopped and waited for his reply, which I knew what it was going to be.

"Okay...okay I-I'll join you two tonight, but only because your chance of survival would be greater if there's three of us there" he said as I smiled at him.

"thank you Fishlegs" I said as I waved at him and walked away back to the village.

As soon as I knew I was alone I laughed to myself "the smart one's are easy to convince" I said to myself as I exited the forest and headed towards the forge.

**At the forge Hiccup POV**

"I swear sometimes Hiccup I never understand yer inventions ya make" I hear Gobber say as I test out the new harness vest which will help me stay in the saddle while flying with Toothless.

I just hope Gobber doesn't figure it out any time soon.

"well maybe one day I'll tell you all about them" I reply back to him as I smile.

The harness is a simple design Strips of leather connected together by metal rings in a sort of cross style, all held together by leather shoulder pads for easy removal.

This is something that is basic for now until I get the whole flying thing sorted out.

If successful then my true design will come into play along with the designs for new scimitars. But again like the scimitars, it'll take time and the right materials.

But anyway the harness, I feels comfortable enough to wear which will be good since that if I get dragged left, right and centre, its not going to rip my arms off.

Walking around to test its movement I didn't notice a certain blond eyeing me up near the doorway until she spoke.

"strut your stuff babe" she said teasingly making me freeze in my track "oh don't stop on my account" she finished off with a flirty tone of voice.

"yeah yeah" I replied with a smirk on my face "but in honesty what you think of this?" I asked her as I gestured to the harness.

She gives a serious look as she goes all the way around me to examine the detail before she want behind me and gave the harness a sharp tug pulling me back a bit.

"did that hurt?" she asked me.

It was a shock because of the tugging but in honesty, I didn't feel anything.

"no not really" I replied to her looking a bit puzzled on why she did that.

But she smiled and came back round to face me "good, that means any impact you won't feel if you found yourself slung off of him" she whispered to me so Gobber didn't hear her.

I smiled know what she meant.

"oh by the way, tonight me you and Fish are feeding the dragons in the ring tonight" she suddenly said as I turned to look at her.

"really, how come?" I asked her.

"well for one thing, it helps my dad out since her forgot to assign someone to feed them. Another being it might help observing other dragons besides Toothless and between you and me after seeing you and Toothless react with each other, wants me to have a dragon of my own" she said that last part with a smile to which I smiled.

She really wants a dragon? But I'd of thought she'd want to kill them after all that happened to her since her uncle Finn. But saying that, ever since we became a couple she had changed a lot. I guess her mother was right what she said to me about bringing her back.

But this what she said, wanting her own dragon too is something stupid yet crazy at the same time.

Just like me and Toothless.

Well we'll see how it goes tonight if it works or not.

But for now lets gets back to the Night fury in the cove who wants to feel the clouds again.

"well lets what we can do about that. But beforehand would milady like to accompany me to the cove" I said with a posh accent bowing before her.

She giggled before curtseying back at me "that I may my dear sir" she said mimicking my accent as we both laughed.

"will ye two jus bugger off already, I'n abou te lose me lunch" Gobber complains at hearing the whole scene going on but still seeing a smirk on his face as we run off towards the forest.

**Later on that night**

"Its not funny Astrid" I told her as she kept on hysterically laughing.

She only started after I was hanging on a tree branch after mine and Toothless' test flight.

It was going well until Toothless spotted a rabbit and tried to go after it.

Forgetting about the human on his back.

Next thing I knew the safety line attached to the saddle broken off to the shear force of impact and tangled itself around the same branch I hit, resulting me to hang there like a fish on a line.

Toothless however was too busy to notice, one minute he was sniffing some long grass, the next he collapsed into total pleasure.

"It was absolutely funny babe! I haven't laughed this hard in a long time" she said wiping the tears from her eye's while clutching her ribs.

I just gave her a deadpan look.

"well we found three things out today. One, the harness worked, I didn't feel any pull pain from hanging there" I said before noticing Astrid biting her hand to try and stop laughing.

"Two, that grass can come in handy to calm even the most pissed off dragon" I carry on showing the brown bag I scooped up some of the grass in, who's know when it'll come in handy.

Astrid nodded and shrugged at the same time "yeah good thing to have handy but it needs a name. From what I saw in toothless' reaction to it, it reminded me of a cat next to cat nip" suddenly she clicked her fingers and a brainstorm hit me too.

"dragon nip!" we both shouted at the same time, causing us both to laugh.

Wiping the tears away from the laughing I continue on with the conversation "I guess great minds do think a like" I chuckled to Astrid who smiled back at that comment.

"well what the third thing you found out?" she asked remembering what I said to her.

I gave her a sly smile before answering her "remember to bring a bloody dagger to cut the leather strap before the girlfriend see's you hanging on a branch and won't stop laughing" I said in a dull tone causing Astrid to stick her tongue out at me before running off towards the arena with me chasing after her.

Its funny to think that if non of the event happened over a year ago, I wouldn't be sharing this experience with her, she'd be more likely trying to compete to be the best and not giving a shit who was in her way.

Where most would of seen her as a warrior through and through, people like me and her family saw the other side of her we always longed for her to come back to .

And everyday I see that side of her come back bit by bit.

With of course her anger still there which just add more to who she is.

Loving to her friends, family and me but dangerous to her enemies...and me.

But it makes me think what she told me earlier about wanting a dragon too.

Something's that's beautiful like her but extremely dangerous if pissed off.

And then it hit me the perfect dragon for her.

But that will wait till all the dragons are fed as I spot Fishlegs next to the arena looking nervous, holding what appears to be the dragon manual.

"evening Flishlegs" I say waving at him as he greeted us back.

"evening Hiccup, Astrid" he replied back with a weak smile "n-nice night for a d-dragon feed" he said nervously.

I then turned to Astrid who was standing next to me and I smiled "well shall we get to the feeding dragons milady?" I say to her as I gestured to the gates of the ring making her smile.

"as you wish my good sir" she replied before heading off to the ring with me and Fishlegs left to carry the baskets of fish toward the centre of the ring.

Looking around the ring, it's completely empty.

No weapons.

No mazes.

Just a complete empty area.

"perfect" I said to myself as I head over to the Nadder pen.

Astrid and Fishlegs looked confused at what I meant by that.

"astrid, can you come stand near the this pen please and bring a fish with you" I ask her who still looked confused but complied.

"now Fishlegs I know you wouldn't volunteer to feed the dragons unless it involved studying them and I know what Astrid wants as well. So..." I pause before opening the lever to the Nadder cell revealing a very cautious and confused Deadly Nadder looking outside its doors and around the ring.

"I'm going to kill two birds with one stone sort of speak" I finished off as I slowly watch Astrid look at the dragon that was in front of her fish in one hand and axe in the other.

"Astrid remember you need to earn the dragons trust, you need to drop down your axe, remember Toothless" I say to her before she realised what I meant before dropping her axe and sliding it to the other side of the ring.

The Nadder saw this and was confused at first but looking at its face, it was curious too as it slowly approached Astrid.

Both looking into each others eye's, they stand like that for a while until Astrid finally broke the silence "wow you're very beautiful girl" she said to the Nadder who seemed to take the compliment well.

A girl? strange that, i didn't know the Nadder was a girl.

But saying that I didn't know Toothless was a boy, it just felt right.

And then I realised what's happening here.

"that's good Astrid, now, offer her the fish and then look away and slowly hold your hand out" I advise her as she complies by doing just that.

**Astrid POV**

Oh gods this is intense, so many things to think about, like for one how did i know that this Nadder is female or how she took to compliments.

Was this the same for Hiccup and Toothless? Was this how they formed their bond?

Only one way to find out.

I offer her the fish in my hand to which she gladly took and ate.

Now for the moment of truth. I slowly lift up my arm and hold out my hand, palm facing the Nadder as I look away and close my eye's waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly.

I open my eye's as a shock goes from my outstretched arm through the rest of my body. I turn around to see the Nadders beak-like snout touching the palm of my hand.

I can only describe it in one word.

Amazing.

I get my other hand and start to rub her neck feeling how smooth her scales are.

She truly is a dragon of beauty.

And looking at her wings, they look so powerful that they could fly into a strorm no problem.

And then it clicked.

"Stormfly" I said to her "would you like that name?".

She replied with a happy chirp and nuzzling my arms making me laugh.

Out of the corner of my eye's I see Hiccup smiling as he steps forward to address Stormfly too.

Stormfly looked at him most likely remembering him as that boy who yelled at her.

"hey girl,I'm sorry I yelled at you, I just didn't want to see you get hurt" he said rubbing Stormfly's head making her purr.

He has such a way with dragons.

Fishlegs however was writing things down in the book, looking very excited.

But I know one thing, I got my own dragon now.

And can't wait to fly her one day.


	12. Chapter 12 Together we fly

**Hi Guy's and Gal's! I'm Alive! If only my name was Gordon just to hear Brian Blessed shout "Gordon's alive!". Okay enough with the pleasantry talking bollocks that we Brits are infamous for. Sorry It's taken so long but I was working long hours at work, and being with the other half and family and cleaning and cooking and recovering from a cold...and playing world of warcraft that I never had much time to write, but I still have a plot and eventually we'll be out of Berk soon, thank the Gods if we stay here any longer, I'll be growing moss on my arse :D**

**So here it is chapter 12 and hopefully might keep you interested or I got no review I'll take it you fell asleep.**

**Now sit back and enjoy while I drink a lemsip.**

**Chapter 12 Together we fly**

**Hiccup POV**

Tonight didn't seem to go too bad at all, Astrid bonded with the Nadder, or should I say Stormfly now, and they hit it off very well in my opinion. Fishlegs was excited when we let out the dragons one by one to feed them and interact.

I must say the Gronckle took a fondness to Fishlegs, even more so when I gave him the dragon nip which he gave to it.

They didn't bond, but it's only a matter of time.

But the strangest thing is, all the dragons looked at me with the same expression, but they weren't looking at my body or even my face.

They were looking directly into my eyes.

Why does every dragon I see look into my eyes? What's so fascinating about them?

Something I can figure out at a later date.

For now today's events have taken its toll on me and need a good night's rest.

But as we walk out of the arena and head down the hill to drop the baskets off, a familiar figure steps out with his cronies in tow.

"Well well well, if it isn't useless out for a night time stroll" Snotlout said with a smirk making his gang laugh.

But his expression changed when he saw mine and Astrids hands held together "and what are you doing with my girl?" he said with an angry tone in his voice.

Seriously? He's seen me and Astrid kiss each other multiple time and he still think Astrid his? And this is the guy they want as chief?

I'm trying to figure who's more stupid? Snotlout or the villagers who think he'll be a great chief?

But before I could respond Astrid beat me to it giving Snotlout an intimidating glare.

"Okay first of all Snotface, Hiccups not useless, he's more useful than you" she said before grabbing my arm and pulling me closer to her.

"Second, I'm not your girl. I'm Hiccups, and don't you forget that!" She finished off by kissing me on the lips, making me smile and making Snotlout even more angry.

"That's it useless! You'll pay for th….." was all Snotlout was able to say when an empty cart came zooming down the hill knocking into Snotlout and dragging him along with it all the way down the hill and towards the dock with him screaming a high-pitched squeal.

Me, Astrid and Fishlegs was staring at what just happened before looking at Snotlouts gang go rushing off towards the dock to rescue their now wet leader.

We however fell on the floor laughing our asses off at what just happened.

We were like that for several minutes until Fishlegs broke the laughter.

"Oh gods that was funny" he said wiping the tears from his eyes from laughing too much.

I then followed the conversation holding my ribs "yeah it was, I wonder who did it? I'd like to give them a pat on the back".

"Ooo promises, promises" came a familiar voice.

All three of us looked towards where the voice came from only to see it was Tuffnut who spoke followed by his twin as they casually walk down the hill where the cart came from.

"Aww just a pat on the back?" Ruffnut said pouting and I just looked dumbfounded at what they did.

"Wait that was…." I was going to remark until I was interrupted by Tuff.

"…yep that was us" he said crossing his arms and smirking.

Astrid was the one who spoke up next "how come?" was the only word she got out as she was trying to get her breath back.

"No one threatens our friends" Ruffnut replied looking serious at what she said.

Now I was confused "I didn't think we were friends?" I asked not to sound ungrateful or anything but they never 'friendly' with me in the past.

"Hey anyone who can cause chaos and make whacky inventions that will get on someone's nerves is a friend to ours" Tuffnut replied with a grin leaving me stunned but then I smiled afterwards.

"Thanks guys" I said genuinely looking at Astrid who gave me a 'I told you so' look on her face.

"No problem Hiccup, just do us a favor" Tuffnut said as I looked at him wondering what he wanted as a favor.

"Go on" I said.

"Next time you feed the dragons, let us in on the action" Ruffnut said folding her arms just like her twin.

So they saw then? And yet they want to see the dragons too.

That left me speechless so all I could do was nod making them smile.

"Cool cause that Zippleback has our names written on it" Tuffnut said with a grin.

Oh yeah perfect match, both twin and dragon are just about as destructive.

With that in mind we all walked to the plaza where we all departed to our homes.

Well Fishlegs and the twins went to their homes while I walked Astrid to her home.

Once we got there we just smiled at each other before bidding each other good night with a kiss before she went inside and I decided to head to the forge as ideas popped into my head I needed to draw down.

Only one thing came to mind.

Saddles for the other dragons.

**Two Weeks Later At the Cove**

"Will you guys relax I'll be fine, Toothless wouldn't let anything happen to me" I said as my four fellow teens looked nervous.

Well two at least, the twins were disappointed they couldn't see it close up in the sky.

Boy what a week it turned out to be, trusting Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut with mine and Astrid's secret but I not sure if I was surprised or not when Fishlegs saw Toothless, the second he saw him and told him Toothless is Nightfury he just…..well jump for joy like it was snoggletog, wanting to know every detail of him, from the fins (or should I say fin) on his tail to his scaly snout, writing everything down.

The twins just wanted to see Toothless use a plasma blast to blow things up, which included all my training dummies.

Toothless seemed to enjoy that one.

Me and Astrid just smacked the palm of our hands to our faces at that.

But with this new found dragon information and feeding the dragons at night, which Astrid asked her dad if we could do it.

Tough as that man is, he can't say no to his little shield maiden.

It helped us a lot learning more about our dragons from watching Toothless in the cove to watching the dragons in the arena.

And caused three new bonds in the process.

You see Gobber decided to only allow two students to take on a dragon at a time, as it meant less people to overwhelm the dragons thus meant the two student would have to think more.

No problem to my friends.

First round of this new plan was Fishlegs and Ugthug against the Gronkle.

Fishlegs knew what to do since I saw the dragon nip in his hand.

The Gronkle charged forward towards him but even I could see she was more excited to see him then attack him.

Yeah, we found out the Gronkle was a she from what Fishlegs told us.

For you see before he knew what had happened as the Gronkle, or should I say Meatlug now (not going to question the name since I named a Nightfury Toothless), was on the ground in shear bliss of the dragon nip, Fishlegs bonded with her like me and Astrid.

The next was the twins and the Zippleback, they were up against Samson and Angelica and all I can say is the twin fought less than those two so with everyone's attention focused on them two, the twins sneakily got close to the Zippleback heads and gave each a fish thus resulted in the head to lower their heads down to the twins empty hands and thus a new bond formed.

The names they gave them were a little weird.

The gas head is named Barf by Ruffnut and the spark head Belch by Tuffnut.

Still could be worse I suppose, Fart and Flatulence comes to mind.

So all of us in our little gang had a dragon.

Well I had two, funny enough I kind of bonded with the Terrible Terror in the ring too who I named Sharpshot.

The only dragon in the arena that no one bonded to was the Nightmare but we did earn its respect which was a good thing, maybe one day it'll find someone to bond to.

But back to the test flight, not much to worry about of course, me and Toothless have done so much trial and error testing that nothing could go wrong.

Right? Pushing that last part out of my mind, I turn to the others and gave them a reassuring smile before patting the side of Toothless' head to indicate I was ready.

"Let's go bud" I said before holding on tight to the saddle as he shoots off into the air.

I was just in earshot of Astrid shouting something "remember where to meet up babe!" reminding me that after this to meet her at the beach at the eastern side of Berk.

Hopefully I make it there in one piece.

**Up In the Air**

"Okay, bud we seem level and secure, tail fin…" I said looking back a Toothless' tail to see both fins, real and artificial, are both spread out correctly and that there seems to be no flaws to the artificial one. After all I only replaced it once.

"Okay bud let's see if this works" I say to him who growls back in agreement.

Looking at my cheat sheet I made so I could operate it, I start changing position of my foot on the pedal.

"Okay, okay position three….no four" I say pulling back the foot pedal to that position making the tail widen causing Toothless to grumble as we slowly start banking to the left.

Looking back nervously I put the next phase into action.

"Okay okay, its go time"

Next thing I know Toothless is flying low towards the water to where the sea stacks are, still grumbling.

"Come on buddy, come on buddy!" I shout as we head under one of the rocky archways scaring a few seagulls along the way.

"Yes it worked!" I shout as I look back at the tail to make sure it's still working.

Not seeing the sea stack in our way as we hit it "sorry my bad" I said, then we hit another.

At this point Toothless whacks me with one of his earflaps as in the say "concentrate!"

"Yeah yeah I'm on it, okay position 4, yeah" I say changing the position of the fin and we start to climb into the sky.

We fly higher and higher feeling the rush of adrenaline I shout out in excitement.

"Yeah! Yeah baby!" I shout feeling the air blow against my face.

"This is the way to go! The wind in my….cheat sheet!" I shout suddenly as the cheat sheet to the tail fin blows out of the holder I made for it.

Trying to grab hold of it I find myself falling out of the saddle as the safety strap to it comes loose.

And to top it off, because I'm nowhere near the pedal, the tail fin doesn't work and that means Toothless is falling too.

"Ahh! Toothless, no no you have to angle yourself bud! No not like that!" I shout as we both fall to our doom.

Still shouting out for him to angle himself so I can get back in the saddle, he accidently whacks me with his tail nearly knocking me out.

Finally after what seemed like forever, he angles his body correctly enough for me to grab hold of the saddle thus me getting my foot into the pedal and getting the tail fin to work.

And just in time too for I see the ground looming up.

Out of panic I pull back on the saddle causing me and Toothless to scream as we barely miss the tops of the trees.

Trying to look at the recovered cheat sheet for positions, something pops in my head, like a feeling, an instinct you could say like it was telling me to screw the cheat sheet and do what you think is natural.

And that's exactly what I did.

Throwing over my head I followed what I felt was right as I leaned into the saddle making my foot move the pedal to change the tail fins position making both me and Toothless move faster and faster through the sea stacks and out to the other side.

I cheer and shout because not only did we have a successful…ish flight and made it out alive, but I did something no other Viking has ever done before.

I rode a dragon!

Looking over at the beach we'd be landing in a few minutes I see Astrid standing there with her arms folded looking annoyed.

Oh I got a feeling what's coming.

But before that, out of pure excitement, Toothless decided to fire of a plasma blast right in front of us and fly right into it.

"Aw come on!" I groaned as we past right through it.

**Several Minutes Later at the Beach Astrid POV**

"Ow!" Hiccup shouts as I give him a fifth punch to the shoulder for nearly getting himself killed.

"That! Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is for scaring the hell out of me!" I shouted at him giving him a scowl, but then did something he wasn't expecting so soon.

I kissed him smack on the lips and never left them for over five minutes.

When I finally did, it left the owners of those lip daze with that goofy smile of his.

"That" I said softly while smiling "was for doing so stupid and crazy and yet so incredible" I said before leaning next to him as we cooked our fish we caught for us.

And of course Toothless too who decided to regurgitate one up before looking at us.

Oh no way am I eating that!

"Er no thanks bud, we're good" Hiccup said as I sighed in relief as we both hold each other in our arms listening to the waves crashing against the rocks.

After several minutes of silence I finally break it by asking him a question that I wanted to ask him.

"Hiccup" I say to him as I look up at him and he looks down at me.

"Can I ask, what it was like, to you know….fly?" I ask him as he looks into my eyes, smiles then towards the open ocean.

"It was something so, different Astrid, so amazing, so, so wow! I felt so free! Free of worry, free of ridicule, free of rules. I felt like I was in my element milady, like I was meant to fly" he said while making his arms move in different directions while explaining everything.

Another thing I love about him is when he gets well into a conversation, he can't keep his arms still.

I smile as he finishes. Seeing me smile makes him smile too like he knows what I'm thinking.

And Thor dammit he got it right.

"You want to fly too?" he said still giving me a smile, the only thing I could do was nod.

Our thoughts were interrupted by a pack of Terrible Terrors flying towards the beach playing about in the sand.

Suddenly a light blue Terror came up towards us to take one of Toothless' fish.

'Big mistake little Terror' I think to myself as the Toothless spot it's and makes a grab for the fish swallowing it whole followed by his dragon laugh.

The Terror had spunk I'll give it that as it gets ready to fire at its black scaly opponent to no avail as Toothless fires a small blast into the Terrors mouth causing the gas inside to ignite and making the Terror daze and defeated.

"I guess dragons aren't so fireproof on the inside" I hear Hiccup remark.

"He you go, I think you earn this one" I say to the blue Terror as I toss one of my fish to it and it happily eats it before touching my empty hand and then curling up to me and sleeping as I stroke it.

I was amazed. Not only did I bond with a dragon but many others show less aggression than they do in the raids, even the Nightmare in the ring who should be mad about being trapped in a cage.

Hiccup was thinking the same as I see that look on his face, a look of amazement too at all this.

"Astrid this, is amazing, everything we knew about dragons is wrong" he said as he scratched Toothless behind the ears making him purr with delight.

But my smiling face turned to confusion realizing something as I turn to Hiccup who in turn looked at me "but then why do they raid us?" I ask him as he starts to go deep in thought before answering me.

"Good question Astrid, why do they raid us? From what we've seen, they raid our food but don't eat it, except for the fish but saying that, fish can be caught easily without risking their lives, something more to it than anything we know of so far, and I think its time we found out about it" Hiccup finished with a determined look on his face.

He'll not give up till he finds out.

And I'll be there all the way.

Little did we know that Toothless was worried.

**Several Hours Later Edge of the Forest Normal POV**

After Toothless dropped Hiccup and Astrid off at the cove they decided to head home before anyone worried, him giving Toothless a scratch goodbye and Astrid saying goodbye to Sneaky.

Yeah you heard me right, Astrid bonded with a Terror just like Hiccup did with Sharpshot.

And the name Sneaky? Well it was the way she snuck up on Toothless to take one of his fish.

Fitting name I must say.

But as the young couple get into the Village Hiccup notices something that brought anger into his eyes.

Fishlegs, held in place by Ugthug while Snotlout punched him repeatedly while Samson and Angelica had a tied Ruffnut and Tuffnut on the ground.

"You know what happens when people hang out with useless, they get the same treatment as I give him!" Snotlout said smirking as he raises his fist high to give another beating.

But it never came as Ugthug was knocked out by a rock thrown at him and before Snotlout had a chance to find out who did that, he was tackled to the ground by the auburn hair boy.

Fishlegs opened his eyes to see his attacker glaring at Hiccup who had fire in his eyes.

"H-Hiccup?" Fishlegs weakly said as he looked at his savior who turned and smiled before looking back at his cousin with daggers.

"Astrid" Hiccup said calmly catching her attention who at this point beat the living daylights out of the two holding the twins down before untying them.

She looked at Hiccup who was still staring at Snotlout "get Gobber and Gothi we have a few injured teens here" he said, she nodded as she rushed away to go find them as the Ruffnut went to go comfort Fishlegs followed by Tuffnut keeping him defended with his spear.

"What's the meaning of this Snotlout?!" Hiccup shouted at his cousin, trying to keep himself calm and levelheaded.

Snotlout was just looking at his cousin in disbelief at how this weed managed to knock out Ugthug and Knock him to the ground.

Shaking that thought out of his head he starts to glare back at Hiccup with anger before smirking "reminding them three what happens when they hang out with the useless" he said before gesturing to Hiccup.

Hiccup couldn't believe what Snotlout said, beating them up for hanging out with me?

"Why Snotlout?" Hiccup had to ask "why did you have to make my life miserable at every turn?" glaring at his cousin to find an answer "what did I ever do to you?!" he finally yelled out startling Snotlout.

Recovering, Snotlout looked at Hiccup again and gave a serious frown giving Hiccup only one word "Astrid".

Hiccup started looking confused 'what did Astrid have to do with this?' he thought to himself.

"I tried all sorts to get her to be mine! But ever since we were little, well in your case littler" Snotlout carried on, smirking at his last sentence "she was always your friend and loved to hang out with you! Why you?! Then when 'frozen' Finn Hofferson left the island and Astrid stopped hanging around with you I decided there was my chance to get her to be mine by making you feel useless so no one would want to be near you for too long" he started to glare at Hiccup again in anger gritting his teeth "and then you decided to get her back with that stupid axe! No way was I going let that happen so I took the credit to look good in her eyes, which worked…".

"….until she discovered you lied about it and hit you where it hurt" Hiccup interrupted with a smirk, knowing it'll drive his cousin nuts being reminded.

And by Thor it worked.

"And that was your fault useless! She could be mine right now and she wouldn't have to feel embarrassed that her boyfriend isn't a weak, weedy, useless coward who's too scared to fight a dragon!" Snotlout shouted with all his rage gripping hold of his hammer.

"He not useless Snotface!"

Hiccup turned to see Astrid walking towards them, axe in hand glaring dagger at Snotlout.

Hiccup held her back knowing what she would do with that axe.

"Hiccup let me go! I need to teach him a lesson! No one calls you useless!" she shouts struggling to get out of Hiccups grip 'when did he become so strong?' she thought to herself as she finally gives up still being held into her boyfriend's arms.

"I know milady, I know, but he's just being pathetic" Hiccup said to her to calm her down.

Unfortunately Snotlout heard what he said and didn't like it one bit as his face turned bright red with anger.

"Pathetic?! Pathetic?! How dare you call me pathetic?!" Snotlout shouts as he raises his hammer pointing it at Hiccup.

"I challenge you Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third to a duel for your title as heir and for Astrid's hand!" he shouts catching the attention of the villagers in earshot who come closer at hear the challenge being proposed.

'Great it had to be the day the raid party come back' Hiccup thinks to himself as he sees his dad, the Hofferson's and of course the Jorgenson's come into view looking at both teens in the center of the crowd.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Stoick shouts as he tries to get through the crowd to the front, the last thing he needed as he got back from another failed search for the nest was conflict in his village.

Snotlout looks at him as he explains his actions "I'm challenging Hiccup for his title as heir uncle as well as for Astrid's hand" he said looking confident at what he said.

Stoick pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration "Snotlout this low even for you can't dish out challenges just because you're mad at Hiccup. You know he won't…."

"I accept your challenge Snotlout Jorgenson!" Hiccup said with a serious look on his face.

Everyone, even Astrid gasped at what he said.

"Son, you-you can't accept, you can't even fight!" Stoick said looking at his son.

Hiccup felt hurt that his own father would say that but that made him more determined to show him he can.

Ignoring what his father said he turrns to Snotlout again and stares "Since you offered the challenge you agree to the terms I offer. One week from now, the kill ring, free choice of weapon and winner is the one who knocks the other out or they yield, do you agree Snotlout?" Hiccup said still looking at him.

Snotlout grinned knowing Hiccup stood no chance against him so nods in agreement, knowing these terms will work for him.

"Agreed! See you at the ring useless!" Snotlout shouts before snapping his finger and thumb before walking away followed by his gang.

And with that the crowd disperses realizing that there is no fight tonight leaving the plaza nearly empty.

Leaving only Hiccup, Astrid, their parents, Gobber, a batted up Fishlegs and twin comforting him with Gothi tends to his injuries.

"Hiccup, what in Thor's name were you thinking?! You'll lose to him?" Stoick shouts realizing that Hiccup will never be chief now after this duel.

After his rant everyone in their little group was staring, but they weren't staring as Hiccup.

They were staring at Stoick. 'Did he not have any hope for Hiccup might win?' they all thought, they all saw how Hiccup trained in the ring with them fancy swords of his and the way he moved on the defense against the dragons in the ring.

But Gobber was the one to see more than what was in the ring, but wasn't going to reveal what he knew for a while.

Instead he place his real hand upon Stoick's shoulders guiding him away from the group as he gestured to Astrid's parents to follow to before turning to Hiccup "Hiccup why don' ya go feed the dragons in the ring please" Gobber said before all four adults left out of sight, only leave the teens and Gothi.

Hiccup only smiled as he looked at the ring.

Astrid however was concerned "Hiccup, I hope you have a plan to beat Snotface otherwise I'm jumping off a cliff" she said to him as he kept on smiling.

"Oh I do milady, but it requires me to go into the ring alone" Hiccup replied looking determined at the plan forming in his head.

Astrid however was confused, she knows the dragons won't hurt him but why did he want to go in there by himself?

Hiccup saw her confusion so he took her hands and looked into blue eyes before speaking "I'll explain it later on but for tonight once it's quiet come to the cove, I'll meet you there" he finished by giving her a peck on the lips and running off towards the ring.

'I wonder what plan Hiccup has in mind that involves dragons?' Astrid thinks to herself as she watches her boyfriend run off into the distance.

**At the Arena Hiccup POV**

Looking around to check to see if I was alone. Like anyone would want to hang around near the arena besides me and the other four teens, and Gobber of course but three were getting treated by Gothi, Astrid keeping a close watch in case Snotlout decided to turn up and finish the job and Gobber was trying to calm my dad down after his outburst, ha! More like lecture him on how good at fighting I really was, like my dad would ever believe that.

Making sure I was truly alone I decide to head into the ring to start my plan.

Hearing the dragon roars in excitement, guessing by smelling who was about to open the cell doors for them, and if it all go's according to plan, the gate.

Yes my plan is to free the dragons out of the ring but make it like they planned to escape all along.

A plan that's been going on since me, Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins started feeding them, I've been slowly weaken the gate hinges so that it makes it look like they escaped by fault of the cell doors.

Well time to see if it worked.

'First let's get them all out' I think to myself as I start to pull the levers to the doors which open up the doors.

But once they were open, all I saw was 3 flying blurs heading my way!

"Oof!" I shout as I get tackled by an over excited Stormfly, Meatlug and Sharpshot who start to nuzzle and lick me as I lay on the ground laughing.

"Hahaha….. guys!... haha.. I..I miss you too but….hahaha we..we got a plan to…haha…do!" I struggle to say but immediately they stop as to help me catch my breath, softly growling understanding what I'm getting at.

Suddenly I'm lifted up onto my feet by one of the Zippleback heads, by the green gas that's coming out I know which one it was.

"Thanks Barf" I say as I pet both heads in appreciation as I turn to see the three other dragons waiting patiently for what I needed to say.

The book was defiantly wrong about them being mindless.

The Nightmare looks at me too and nods as I nod back, we both respected each other which is a good thing, but hope one day we can find him a rider.

"Right guys, tonight is the night I've been planning for a while now" I saying addressing all the dragons in the ring who look a bit confused until I carried on.

"Tonight my friends" I say friends to dragons very easily like I can link to them better than most humans. I start to smile as I address the last part "you'll be free" I say with confidence to which the dragons roar with excitement.

Shushing them so they don't wake up the Vikings they obey and keep quiet while I go over the plan with them on how we pull it off.

I explain that I damaged the doors to the cells so it looks like they planned the escape all along all it needs is the dragons touch to make the escape look convincing, to which they start doing by breaking the hinges to the doors, causing scorch marks everywhere like they blasted their way through to escape.

As I look around after the dragons had their fun at looking at the destroyed doors and scorch marks along the walls of the ring, I turn towards the dragon and give them a thumbs up, which after learning about the gesture for a while now, and they start to look appreciative of this.

"That's good guys, if this doesn't look like an escape plan then I don't know what is. Now before you escape I must ask you for two favors" I say to them as they listen.

"One, on the way out knock me out so it looks like I tried to stop you" I say to them as they look skeptical at hurting me "don't worry guys I can take the hit" I say reassuring them I'll be okay.

"And two, when you escape, head in the direction away from the forest but fly around the Island and head to the center of the forest, there you'll see a place where there's a hidden lake, inside there you'll see Toothless the Nightfury, keep him company and explain what happened, I know he worries about me" after that they look at each other before looking back and nodding in agreement.

"Don't worry I'll explain it to your other halves what happened" I say before gesturing to Stormfly to come to me so I can whisper something to her "…okay Stormfly, relay that message to Toothless and he should understand what I mean by it" after that she nods in acknowledgement before I ready myself for a world of pain, been a while I must admit.

"Okay….ready…set….GO!" I shout as the dragon start to rush towards me hitting and grazing me around the body before Meatlugs tail whacks me right on the head.

This is going to hurt so much in the morning but seeing the dragons escape makes me smile as my world fades to black…

**At the Cove Toothless**

Huh? Strange? Why do I have this feeling my brother has done something stupid and crazy?

'Of course nothing new there' I think to myself as I lay back down on the grass thinking of mine and Hiccups flight.

I would have never admitted it before, being told humans are mindless murderers all my life, but Hiccup, my bond brother, changed all that, he showed me not all humans are bad.

Sure he was the reason I have no left tail fin anymore but it will grow back in a hundred years or so, but he the chance to kill me, but looking in his eyes, those green eyes they looked so much like mine, it's weird but in a good way, and he even wanted to gain my trust by helping me fly again.

And his mate, the blond one she felt comfortable around even to go as far as wanting her own dragon, a Nadder is what I recall smelling on her.

Speaking of a certain Nadder.

*Sniff, Sniff*

Strange, I thought that she was in that prison called an arena.

But as the smell gets stronger I realize she was coming along with a Gronkle, Zippleback and another Terrible Terror which smelled like the other teens that came here with Hiccup and his mate.

As I see the Nadder land she starts to walk towards me, I got to say she look kind of pretty with the yellow and blue scales, kind of reminds me of Hiccups mate.

"Toothless?" the Nadder squawked to me catching me by surprise that a dragon knows the name Hiccup gave me.

"Yes?" I ask back wondering what's going on.

"Thank gods we found the right place Astrid's mate told us about" the Nadder say as she lets out a sigh of relief.

Astrid's mate? Oh so that's who Hiccup's mates called, I got to remember that.

"Wait? Hiccup sent you here? How come?" I had to ask.

The Nadder gave me a smile before replying "He helped us escape our cells".

I gave a deadpan look realizing why I felt he did something stupid and crazy. I'll blast his ass if I see him again for risking himself but I'll hug him in my wings for his big heart in wanting to free dragons.

But my thought were cut short as the Nadder who introduced herself as Stormfly carried on talking "he also asked me to ask you something as well".

This got my attention straight away as I nod to for her to carry on "he asked if dragons are good with something called melee and if so can you help him".

Remembering what Hiccup told me about melee being physical attacks instead of fire power I understood about attacking once my shot limit was reached but why does Hiccup want to know?

"Yes I know what it is but why does he want to know?" I ask her.

She carries on telling me "he said something about his cousin, er what is his name? Snothat? Snotbutt? No Snotman no…."

"Snotlout!" I snarl startling the other dragons except Stormfly who carries on.

"Yes! That's it! Snotlout challenged him to a fight for Astrid hand, although I'm not sure what that means" she finishes off looking confused.

Of course Hiccup told me a lot about human culture, including the term 'hand in marriage' "It means Stormfly, that his cousin is try to get Astrid to be his mate instead of Hiccup" I say as she finally gets it and starts to growl madly.

"What?! No! I won't allow it! I like Astrid mate, he's kind funny and respects us and we respect him! Including the Nightmare…." she squawks loudly as I attempt to calm her by nuzzling her snout with mine.

I don't know why I did it, but it seemed to work.

"Yeah….okay well we won't let that happen" I say to her as I look around "Speaking of which, where is the Nightmare?" I ask her wondering that if all the dragons escaped then where was he?

"Oh yeah….forgot to mention, he stayed behind, claimed that we all escaped then it'll look suspicious that we all escaped and Hiccup only got hurt so instead he stayed behind and knocked himself out making it look like Hiccup stopped him" she explained as I was stunned to say the least.

I have to say that's put some respect towards him from me.

"So we'll train Hiccup a way a dragon uses physical attacks" I said getting back to the topic at hand as the dragon, who understood what melee meant roared in agreement.

Good.

If Hiccup wants to learn about fighting like a dragon.

Then by all that scaled…..he will fight like one!

**A/N: Achoo! lol sometimes I just like to be cheeky :D**


	13. Chapter 13 Fighting Dragon Style!

**Hi Guys were getting so close to getting off this island that I can smell the freedom *sniff* nope I was wrong, a dragon just dropped his guts next to me. Anyway so close and yet this is just the beginning of this story "How the hell can that be?" you might ask well being British means I make a great villain so I basically wanted to give a good background before getting to the good stuff.**

**So here it is the, fight scene, who will win, you'll seen.**

**Chapter 13 Fighting Dragon Style!**

**Normal POV**

"I'm gonna kill him!" was all Astrid shouted as soon as she went stomping through the forest on the way to the cove, just as she promised Hiccup last night after he went by himself to the arena for their evening feed.

It wasn't until later that night when the sound of roaring dragons coming from there caught the attention of the entire village to which being nosey as they are, decide to investigate only to find the whole kill ring in total ruins, scorch marks all around walls, the cell doors right off their hinges, weapon racks destroyed and last but not least a knocked out Hiccup and Monstrous Nightmare in the center of the ring.

Lucky he was only knocked out and no permanent damage done to him, which he planned for, but the shock from both him and villagers was priceless as the Nightmare was still out for the count.

The villagers shock at how the talking fishbone of Berk managed to knock out a dragon at all and Hiccup's shock that the Nightmare didn't leave with the others, he come to realize the Nightmare stayed so suspicion on all the dragons escaping the ring at once wasn't pinned on Hiccup, but some cunning plan the dragons concocted in their time imprisoned, which worked as they saw the escaping dragons head north of Berk away from the forest which left the villagers thinking they were going back to the nest.

Astrid wasn't fooled easily, so as promised she went to the cove the very next day hours after Hiccup pretended to get frustrated that the dragons 'tricked' him and headed to the forest to get his anger out, and the villagers believed it too.

Talk about dumb, no wonder they've been trying the same tactic on dragons for the last three hundred years.

But like I said, Astrid isn't a dumb villager for three reasons.

One, she knows the dragons would never hurt Hiccup accidental or on purpose without him saying for them to.

Two, she knows Hiccups stupidly crazy tactics the second she stepped into the arena.

And three, as soon as her boyfriend walked past her, he gave her a sly smile and a wink, that's when she knew it was his plan all along.

And she'll find out why very soon as she trudges through the forest to the cove.

"Hey Astrid! Wait up!"

She turned around to where the familiar voice came from only to see the large blond-haired teen hobbling along being supported by the blond-haired twins under each arm, although she noticed that Ruffnut had a concerned face while looking at Fishlegs.

'Hmm I wonder why she looks so concerned for him I wonder.' Astrid thought to herself as they got closer.

Putting that thought at the back of her mind for later she then wondered what they were doing here in the forest.

"Guys what you doing here? Especially you Legs, if Gothi finds you not resting she'll curse you!" she said to them as Fishlegs gave her a shrug.

"Astrid, we know the dragons didn't plan that escape, Hiccup did, and if we know him he would of told them to go to Toothless in the cove" Fishlegs said without even stuttering once 'that's a new one' Astrid thought.

Sighing in defeat, Astrid knew Fishlegs would have figured it out too, after all he's nearly as smart as Hiccup.

"Okay yeah this was his plan, I just know it, it might also be a reason why he told me to come to the cove" she said gesturing toward the direction she was travelling in.

"Well what are we waiting for!?" Tuffnut shouted while still supporting Fishlegs under the arm.

And with all four teens together, they headed toward the cove but what they saw when they got there left them gob smacked like anything they had ever seen…

For what they saw in the cove was all of their dragons, including the Terrors, in a circle surrounding something, or should I say someone….

For that someone was Hiccup.

He was standing in the center of the dragon circle with both his training scimitars in a defensive position. The teens watched in horror thinking their dragons had gone rogue, but upon closer inspection revealed Hiccup, completely calm with his eyes closed like he knew what they were doing, like he told them too.

Without warning Toothless fired a plasma blast in Hiccups direction, but he made no move to dodge it or even duck making the teens panic, especially Astrid.

As the blast neared closer to Hiccup, he fully opened his eyes and swift movement and accuracy sidestepped the incoming blast and smacked it with both wide parts of the scimitars knocking it off its original course and careening into the wall of the cove at the side of Hiccup, but he had no time to relax as Stormfly and Meatlug came charging towards Hiccup as he ducked, dived and dodged their incoming attacks follow by blasts from both Sharpshot and Sneaky before the green gas of Barf surrounded him and Belch ignited it causing it to explode.

Lucky enough Hiccup just got out in time but still got some of the impact but not enough to cause any sort of major injury, but still he pressed on as Stromfly left lose the spines on her tail to which Hiccup dodged them, but not all of them as he knocked the remaining spines out of the air with his scimitars in a sort of weird dance moving his whole body as his swords followed suit.

But his victory was cut short because from out of nowhere, a black tail swished across the floor knocking Hiccup off his feet, Toothless then pinned Hiccup down by placing his from paws on each arm forcing Hiccup to drop the scimitars while Toothless growled at him before doing something Hiccup was fearing.

Toothless licked his face with his saliva-covered tongue getting a protest from his rider.

"Oh, Toothless no! No! Bad dragon!" he shouts as Toothless releases him so he could stand up.

"You know this doesn't wash out!" he shouts as Toothless stands next to him laughing, until Hiccup took some of the saliva and flicked it back at him earning a scowl from the black dragon as Hiccup went to the lake to wash off the remain saliva.

The teens who were watching were both shocked, surprised and amused at what they just witnessed, decided to head to their dragons.

Well Fishlegs and the twins did, Astrid however headed for the lake where Hiccup decided to give her a show by stripping down to just his underwear while he cleaned himself, making Astrid smile as he was turned away from her so she had a good look at his ass as he muttered to himself.

"Useless reptile, this is the third time I've been in here today washing off this stuff. Gods I wonder what Astrid would say if she saw me right now?" his question was answered by a familiar voice that made him freeze what he was doing.

"Well first off I would say you were a stupid crazy fool for his plan at the arena, a big softy for releasing the dragons, a crazy genius for using dragons for combat training, that if you spend so much time in the water, I would say you were a fish and that you got a nice ass" Astrid said with a smirk on her face and blushed at the last thing she said making Hiccup blush as he turned slowly around to see her standing there with her arms folding admiring the view in front of her.

"A-Astrid, hey Astrid, w-what you doing here so early? And my what is nice?" He said nervously as he raised an eyebrow at the last bit she said.

She only smiled while still looking him up and down as a thin but slightly muscular body.

Hiccup however saw what she was looking and gave her a deadpan look before being sarcastic "well why don't you draw a picture it'll last longer" he said with a smirk on his face.

Astrid just waved him off before giving her comeback to him "nah, I'll leave that to the artist in this relationship" she said before sticking her tongue out at him.

Hiccup took this as a challenge and so emerging from the water dripping wet, he opens out his arms as he nears Astrid to give her a cold wet hug.

Astrid, realizing what he was about to do, backs away slowly with wide eyes looking at him "oh no Hiccup don't you dare! Stay back!" she shouted as he started running towards her making her run away from.

"Aww come on milady, don't you want a hug?" he said with a sly smile on his face.

Meanwhile the other teen who were playing with the dragons at the time heard the commotion coming from the lake only to see a half-naked dripping wet Hiccup chasing after a terrified Astrid. Fishlegs and Tuffnut only sniggered at the sight while Ruffnut looked smug with herself.

"Well I guess Astrid was right" she said with her arms crossed nodding her head.

The other two looked at her confused before she turn their attention to them.

"Astrid said Hiccup had a nice butt but I didn't know how right she was till now" she answered their look of confusion causing them to smack their palms to their faces.

"Ugh, great now I can't get that image out of my head" Tuffnut groaned making the others look at him strangely before shrugging.

**One hour later**

"So that's why you let them loose" Astrid said as she was in Hiccups lap while he told her and the others his plan on last night.

At first she was annoyed that he didn't tell but understood when he didn't want her to get in trouble with him if it went wrong.

She was shocked when he told them that he never planned on the Nightmare to stay behind that it surprised him too until he realized why.

She was amazed at the way he wanted to be trained by using the dragons for dodging tactics "very risky but good practice" she said to him as she cuddled up more to him, she wondered if she should do that too, it would put a whole new meaning to her training too.

But the burning question she had to ask him.

"Why did you want the dragons to help you train?" she said looking up at him as he looked into the fire in the center of the teens and their dragons.

"I won't let Snotlout win Astrid, I know it sounds selfish but I won't let you marry him" he said as she looked into his eye seeing the fire in them "if anything Astrid I'd rather you married me if the time ever came" he looked down into her eyes and smiled at her "but to know that if I win you can choose who you wanted to marry in the future if you wanted to get married" he finished off kissing her on her forehead as he hugged her closer.

She couldn't believe what was hearing, he'd make sure he won so she could have the freedom to choose her own future, but yet he didn't know about the contract their parents agreed to. She smile knowing that this boy, this man holding her in his arms was who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, contract or not.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Toothless and Stormfly nudging both her and Hiccup as both teens look at their dragons.

"I think they want a flight Astrid" Hiccup said smiling.

Astrid was wide-eyed, she never rode a dragon before but she wanted to but she looked kind of scared at first until Hiccup took her hand.

"It'll be okay Astrid, you'll love it" he said reassuring her with his smile at her.

She nervously gets up before slowly walking over to Stormfly, but she suddenly realized there is a problem as she addresses it to Hiccup.

"Err Hiccup, how am I going to hold on to her? I have no saddle like Toothless has" she said to him as he looks at her before disappearing behind one of the large rocks.

"I knew you would say that so while I was at the forge fixing the tailfin I decided to make…." He said as he lifts up a large leather saddle and smiles at her "..this!".

Astrid just looked dumbfounded at the saddle in Hiccups hands as he comes back to her before gesturing to Stormfly to come to him which she obediently did so he could strap the saddle to her "I needed the measurements of course but like most of the things I made I visualized on how it should look and feel on her, so now you can ride her easily without the problem of falling off".

Astrid still wonders how he can visualize something and get it right just like that, something one day will tell her how, but for now she could only smile at her boyfriend for wanting her to fly.

"Okay Hiccup, I said I wanted to fly and I'm not backing out now" she said with a determined look on her face covering up her nervousness and slowly and carefully she approaches her dragon and climbs into the saddle and holding on to two of the spikes on top of Stormfly's head.

"Now remember Astrid, take it slow and steady, don't rush it and don't worry if you fall she or me and Toothless will catch you" Hiccup said to her as he took off on Toothless into the air.

Astrid gulping at doing this realized how similar Stormfly was to her as she looked nervous too.

It was then Astrid realized they were just alike and knows Stormfly will catch her if she falls. Smiling at this, she gently pats her on the side of her head reassure her she feels the same as her but is willing to trust her.

"Okay Stormfly, let's get up there and show our boys what we can do" she said with a grin on her face as Stormfly flapped her wings to take off from the ground and off they went.

**Up in the Air, Hiccup POV**

I look around for any sign of the blue Nadder and her blond rider hoping she managed to have enough courage to take off on Stormfly, then I remembered one thing.

She's Astrid Hofferson, courage is in her blood.

Suddenly I smile as I spot her and Stormfly come flying up and she seems to be screaming.

But hearing closely that was Astrid scream of joy, and funny enough as I get out my spy glass I made I see he smiling as Stormfly gets her up in the clouds.

"Well so much for a calm first flight eh bud" I said to Toothless scratching his neck as he warbled as in agreeing with me.

I swear I'm starting to understand him.

"Well Toothless looks like we'd best join our ladies" I said but Toothless growled in protest.

_"__What? What you mean 'our ladies' Stormfly's not my lady!" _Is what I think Toothless is saying.

"Yeah yeah bud, whatever you say, all I'm saying is I've seen you looking at her with dilated eyes like it was me or Astrid" I said trying to tease him thinking he won't understand me.

I was wrong as he whacks me twice with his ear flaps.

Freaky or what, maybe spending all this time with dragons is making me understand them more.

Nah, that's silly, isn't it?

I'll figure out that later as we go chasing after Astrid and Stormfly while thinking about the long week of combat training ready for next week's duel.

And boy what a week it's going to be.

**One Week Later, At the Arena Astrid POV**

"I wonder where Hiccup is?" I ask the gang as I worriedly search for him around the arena hoping he was okay.

The whole week of training with the dragons and me as well as doing blacksmithing in the evening and flying during the morning I would be surprised if he was awake.

Looking down at the ring, I notice Snotlout and his dad Spitelout as he give him some sort of pep talk about Jorgensons never lose, pah! What a fathead.

But still it makes me worry looking at Snotlout, he's wearing a full set of heavy iron armor along with his large hammer which he easily can hold with one hand, the smug grin on his face makes me want to puke, if he wins I'm jumping of the arena wall.

"So where is useless then?" Snotlout shouts to the crowd as he feels like he has this in the bag "chickened out I guess, I would expect this from a coward like….".

"Like whom exactly Snotface?" Hiccup interrupted walking into the ring casually with a slight edge of confidence in his stride, but what he was wearing widened my eyes.

He was wearing a full black leather armored suit with shiny metal shoulder, elbow and knee pads each one very smooth and curved to fit the wearer. His chest piece had several rings attached to it, what they were for I don't know, but know Hiccup he has a used for them in future projects. He had both his scimitar wrist bands on so I know what he was going to use as a weapon.

But then why was he carrying a metal shield in with him? Surly something like that he won't be able to carry for too long or even at all.

But strangely enough he was carrying it, with ease, in fact with the metal pads plus his scimitars and shield at his size, he should be struggling to walk. But he seems so light on his feet.

I'll have to ask him afterwards, either in this life or the next.

But the look on his face, determination was etched all over it.

This will be an interesting fight.

"Okay guys what you reckon?" I hear Ruffnut say to us as I turn my head to her in confusion.

"I'm betting Hiccup will go head on at him and take him out in ten minutes" Ruffnut continued as I look at her in surprise.

She was betting when Hiccup will win, I smile realizing how much confidence she had in Hiccup.

But it wasn't just her.

"Nah heavy armor on Snotlout will be hard for Hiccup to take him down in that time, I'd say Hiccup wears him out in thirty minutes and finishes him off in that time, Hiccups got one hundred and fifty percent more stamina than Snotlout if watching him train is anything to go by" Fishlegs said putting his own bet in.

"Yeah don't forget Hiccups smart too, so he could figure out Snotlouts weak spots pretty quick, I'm going twenty minutes" Tuffnut added his own bet before all three turned to me.

They wanted me to bet too.

Looking at them then back to Hiccup as I study his form, I smile and turn back to the three teens "you guys are right, stamina and brains are on his side, he also has stupid and crazy ideas as well as not thinking like a Viking" I look back again at Hiccup as he smiles at me and I smile back at him "One hour, he's going to toy with Snotlout figure all of his weaknesses before striking after Snotlout will be too exhausted swinging himself and that hammer around, that heavy iron armor was designed for one off rage attacks to take your enemy down with brute force. Hiccup's agility will match that on top of his stamina will be what matters" I said with determination in my voice, as the other three looked stunned at what I said.

"What? I've studied him and his movements" I said to answer their stunned faces.

Ruffnut recovered and only sniggered "yeah Astrid you've been studying him alright, mainly his ass" she replied back making me red with humiliation.

"Shut it!" I shout as all three start to laugh. Oh this is going to be a long match, I just know it.

**Hiccup POV**

"So this is it, now or never" I say to myself hoping all that training over the last week paid off.

It sounds like a stupid and crazy idea at the time of the idea of training melee combat with dragons but something deep down told me to do it.

I take deeps breaths remembering what Astrid told me about being calm in combat, let your opponent wear themselves out before you do.

Glancing in Snotlouts direction, I notice he's wearing heavy armor, along with that war hammer of his, he's bound to use up most of his stamina before I do since I made most of my armor out of toughened leather mixed with charcoal to dye it, and to top it off I added shoulder knee and elbow pads made of a special metal I discovered giving certain rocks and ores to Meatlug after training as a treat, unfortunately she ate too quick and to make her feel better I tickled her underside with a feather making her spew up strange colored lava. Bored at waiting for it to cool off so I can resume my training, I took Gobbers advice when waiting for molten material to cool, pound it while its hot, so using the anvil I brought round last year when I didn't want to keep going back to the forge to fix broken weapons me and Astrid used for training, I set to work in pounding at the molten material till it took the shape of a great sword, just for a laugh to make, not like I could carry it, I quickly dipped it in the lake to cool down and what surprised me was how shiny it was and very light, thinking I made a crap sword I threw it in the direction of a lone tree thinking the sword will shatter on impact, but that's when I was surprised, the sword didn't break at all.

The tree did.

Realizing I discovered a strong metal that was light to use, I smile as I knew what to do with this new found discovery.

I upgraded my scimitars, and to add on to my arsenal, I made a basic shield out of it as well as the pads.

Now here I stand today testing out how well this gear works in my favor.

Just before I step fully in to the ring, a large familiar hand gently grabs my shoulder and stops me before I could go any further.

"Hiccup are ye sure tha shield will be enough fer ya?" Gobber ask with a bit of nervousness in his voice.

I only smile at the man who was there most of my life more than my own father, who at this point was just starring in the arena to wonder might happen.

"Gobber down worry, I have a plan, plus I have my other weapons" I reply holding up my arm bands containing my hidden scimitars.

Gobber looking at them and my armor could only smile at me as he pats me on the shoulders "aye lad, ye do, with ye brains and the amount o training ye do in the forest, I'd be more worried fer Snotlout than ye" and with that he hobbles out of the ring ready to close the gate but turned around to me and gave me an evil smirk "give 'im hell lad" and with that the gates close leaving me and my cousin in the ring alone.

**Normal POV**

"Fellow Vikings of Berk!" Stoick shouted out quieting all the chatter in the crowd.

"Today, we gather here today to witness a duel between these two young men!" he carried on gesturing to the two teens in the ring.

"Snotlout Jorgenson, has challenged Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third for title of heir to the throne of Berk and the hand of Astrid Hofferson!" he gestured to each of the three teens as he called their names out.

"Hiccup has accepted the challenge but only by his terms since Snotlout was the one who issued it, any weapon of choosing but only that weapon in the ring! Fighters! Raise your weapon to acknowledge your weapons of choice!" Stoick bellowed out as both Hiccup and Snotlout raised their weapons.

Stoick knew Snotlout would choose the war hammer but was confused why Hiccup only had just a shield. Pinching the bridge of his nose he couldn't stand this like Hiccup wasn't taking this duel seriously.

"Hiccup! Get your weapon now and put down that stupid shield!" he shouted in Hiccups direction as his son look back with an equal scowl.

"This is my weapon!" he replies back at his dad with an even louder voice than his father making his father look at him in shock, not just for the reply he gave but how loud his voice got, Stoick never saw that in his son before.

Gobber however only smirked, he had heard Hiccup shout like that and knew why Hiccup chose the shield as a weapon.

Sighing knowing there was no changing Hiccups mind, Stoick carried on addressing the crowd "the rules are simple, one round, no time limit, the first to yield or to get knocked out will end the match! Fighters, take your stance" he watches both boys, Snotlout took on the more Viking stances of holding his hammer in both hands ready to strike first while Hiccup just stood there with his shield at his side, but nodded to acknowledge he was ready.

Again sighing, Stoick raised his hand to signal the fighters to get ready before shouting "Begin!" and the fight began.

Just as Snotlouts stance told him, Hiccup saw his cousin start advancing on the offence, ready to knock Hiccups head off with his hammer.

But Hiccup never moved until the last minute, dodging his cousin's attack with quick speed but never countered.

Snotlouts hammer embedded into the ground because of the force he put into that downwards swing, but he managed to get it out and pursue his cousin again with the same force, and again missed, so he tried a different tactic and swung the hammer down again but threw a punch in the direction Hiccup went to dodge the hammer attack feeling confident his cousin won't be able to dodge that in time.

But Hiccup never intended to dodge Snotlouts punch, instead he raised his shield up to where the punch would land. As fist and shield connected Hiccup could only hear a crunching sound as he was knocked back by the force of the punch but still held his ground watching his cousin in amusement swear very colorfully at the pain in his hand.

"You know Snotlout, you should of used your head, it might of caused more damage to my shield" Hiccup said with a smirk making his cousin angry, who by now was putting more force into his swings, harder and faster each time, but Hiccup still kept dodging but having to quicken his pace but still didn't falter.

Hiccup knows to try and keep one step ahead of his opponent, anticipate their next move, something he learnt from practicing with dragons all week is to know who, when and where the attack will come.

Hiccup takes a chance for a few seconds to look around the outer part of the arena and smiled at what he saw.

The villagers open-mouthed like cod fish 'that reminds me, I need to get some fish for Toothless after this' Hiccup thinks to himself but comes back to reality as a war hammer comes flying into the direction he was standing at a few seconds ago followed by a punch which hits him directly in the side of his face knocking him at the wall of the arena.

Shaking his head he gets up just in time to raise his shield as the hammer comes crashing 'right note to self, concentrate, Hiccup, concentrate' Hiccup thinks to himself again, he couldn't afford to lose this fight, sure he doesn't give a toss about his title as heir but he will not lose Astrid to his cousin, never!

It was then Hiccup noticed something that made him smile with determination.

Snotlouts war hammer, all those rough swings has cause it to crack, he could also tell the hammer wasn't one of his creations or even Gobbers, the hammer was poorly made, more like a rush job to get it done and ready before the duel.

And that will be his downfall.

"Come on Snotface! What you waiting for? A written invitation? Be a waste of paper since you're too stupid to read!" Hiccup shouted taunting Snotlout into attacking him again with full force as Hiccup dodged and defended against each attack that was thrown at him, hoping his plan to wear both his cousin and his hammer down.

Thirty minutes into the fight and still Snotlout was on the offence trying to catch Hiccup off-guard throwing each and every attack he could muster, but Hiccup kept countering all of them with energy still left in him to keep carrying on, something Astrid saw which made her proud of her boyfriend for practicing on increasing his stamina as well as his anticipation, Fishlegs and the twins looked on admiring Hiccups quick wits knowing how long he trained all last week, he'd be gone before the sun fully rose in the morning till way past the sun going down, he always looked exhausted but went straight to the forge afterwards.

Something Gobber knew about every time he was in the forge and Hiccup come stumbling in looking worn out but still determined to work on his leather armor and swords, he even had to admire the metal Hiccup used, Gobber had never see a metal that shiny before and by the feel of its weight, light too, he was worried the boy wouldn't hold out too well if he was his directly on them but trusted in Hiccups judgment, and it seemed to of paid off.

Samson, Ugthug and Angelica were doing their best to cheer on Snotlout as each swing went but even they saw how quick Hiccup was, but they kept on cheering and throwing taunts at Hiccup to no avail, in fact they did it so much the twins decided to get their revenge on the idiots for pinning them down last week by setting their pants on fire which caused all three to scream in terror as they headed for the nearest source of water making Astrid, Fishlegs, the twins, Gobber and Astrids parents laugh.

Stoick however was stunned, utterly stunned, he knew from Gobber how hard Hiccup trained and even though Hiccup chose not to fight dragons, he showed promise when saving the teen on more than one occasion, of course Stoick being….well, Stoick, never believed Gobber, the man was known for telling tales of stupid things like the Boneknapper that stalked Gobber for most of his life.

But to see what was right in front of him, he was stunned, and realized at this point that he never knew who his son really was.

A full hour into the fight and the time throwing so many aggressive throws at Hiccup had worn out Snotlout, but not as much as he hammer was.

Hiccup was feeling some worn out but could still go for hours like that, but he needed to end this now for his body to bring the offence needed to finish it.

Looking at his cousin and his damaged hammer, Hiccup knew when to strike, as Snotlout was catching his breath Hiccup decided to put his plan into action which he decided to stand up straight, arms at his sides and smirked at his cousin before putting the next plan into actions.

"Wow Snotlout, worn out already? And I thought you were tough? You seemed that way all those times you bullied me. But I guess I was wrong since you can't even swing at a talking fishbone like me" Hiccup said knowing that would push Snotlout over the edge to be defeated by a fishbone like him.

And he could see it in Snotlouts face as it went red with rage as Hiccup turns around, not facing his cousin as he waits for his attack. Snotlout picks up his war hammer and begins to swing it wildly "I'll show you useless son of a whore!" Snotlout shouts as he charges towards Hiccup knowing he has no chance at dodging while cornered.

But that was Hiccups plan all along.

Hiccup closes his eyes and listens for the constant rushing of his cousin's feet getting louder as he nears him, ignoring the warnings from the crowd to get out of the way thinking when to strike.

'Not yet'

The footsteps grow louder.

'Almost'

Hearing the screams of Snotlout crying out in anger ready to knock Hiccup to Valhalla.

'Now!'

Hiccup quickly rotates his body counter clockwise while at the same time, his left arm which has the shield on, which as much force as he could give, swings it all the way out, connecting head on with Snotlouts incoming hammer.

*Bam! Crack! Smack!*

The shield did its job and hit the hammer head on breaking the already damaged hammer head as it went backwards and hit its owner right in the face, knocking him off his feet.

Hiccup felt the full force of the blow vibrate from the shield into his left arm causing him pain to surge through it, Hiccup knew this would happen, it was the only way to cause enough damage to destroy the hammer.

As Hiccup drops the shield he slowly walks over to where his father was sitting to address him, but sudden looked up as he starts to shout.

"Spitelout! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Stoick shouts making Hiccup turn around and look in anger.

Spitelout had thrown his son a great sword to which Snotlout gladly took and holding it out ready to strike Hiccup.

"I will not let the Jorgenson name be ruined by that talking fishbone Stoick, he ruins what it means to be Viking!" Spitelout responds loudly glaring at Hiccup afterwards.

Stoick's face grew red as he responds back "this was not part of the rules of the duel Spitelout! Only the weapons they bring to the ri…."

"No dad, let him" Hiccup interrupts Stoick as he starts to look at Snotlout holding the new weapon "if he wants to keep fighting, then so be it!" Hiccup finishes walking towards his cousin with both arms stretched out like wing, he may of looked odd to the others but he didn't care at this point as he moves closer and closer to his cousin who at this point charges, tip of sword first, towards Hiccup.

Hiccup never moved or refused to dodge this attack.

Instead he pressed the trigger on each palm of the gloves which connected up to the arms bands and as Snotlout got close enough, Hiccup move both arms inwards at the same time his hidden scimitars sprung out and unfolded to their full length as they slashed at Snotlouts incoming sword, cutting it into three pieces which at the same time Hiccup round housed kicked his cousin in the stomach knocking him off his feet.

Tired, injured and winded, Snotlout felt the weight of a foot on top of his chest and a sword tip at his throat, opening his eyes revealed Hiccup looking at his with angry eyes.

"Do you yield?" Hiccup said as he drove the tip of his blade closer in.

Snotlout couldn't believe it, he was beaten by his fishbone of a cousin.

"Do you yield?!" he hears Hiccup say again as the blade started to draw blood on his neck.

"I-I-I Yield!" Snotlout cries as Hiccup releases the blade from his neck.

The crowd were both stunned and shocked, but cheered as it wore off to see Hiccup standing there as his scimitar fold back up and he's cradling his left arm.

Stoick looked even more stunned that his son won, but smiled afterwards before addressing the crowd "well I thought I'd never seen this coming like the rest of you, but the winner, who keeps his title as heir and the hand of miss Hofferson is my son Hiccup!" he bellowed out as the crowd irrupted in cheer.

The gates to the ring open as a certain blond shield maiden come running up to her boyfriend before tackling him to the ground and kissing him all over his face, Astrid didn't care if the village saw her do this, she's still tough, but Hiccup brings out the loving side of her and can't help but remind him what he unlocked inside of her.

Soon Fishlegs, the twins, Gobber, Alfsted and Helga came walking in to congratulate Hiccup on his victory, and if Hiccup was honest, never felt so much like part of the village in a long time and that made him happy.

That didn't last long as Stoick came walking in to silence the crowd.

"Well since Hiccup has shown potential as a worthy fighter then it gives me great pleasure to announce that starting in three days' time, even though he never officially was in the training sessions, but I'm bending the rules just this once, he will in three days' time become one of us, a Viking, by killing his first dragon in front of the whole village!" Stoick shouts out making everyone cheer at the announcement.

Well… all except, Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins who looked horrified but hid it so no one could see, Gobber however looked stunned, he knows that Hiccup didn't want to fight dragons for a reason so he didn't understand how his friend could be so dense about this he'll ask this later as he looked at the frozen teens wondering what they were thinking at this moment.

I can tell you what they were thinking and they were all thinking the same thing.

"Oh Shit!"

**A/N A little spoiler for my readers, I will be doing some pairings for other characters in this, including Fishlegs and Ruffnut, but I didn't know to go with Rufflegs or Fishnuts, both made me laugh, you decide.**


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